Terry is mailing two boxes. Together they weigh 21 lbs. If the smaller box is 5 lbs. less than the larger one, how much does each box weigh? Write and solve an equation that models this scenario.
Let x be the smaller box.
x + x + 5 = 21
2x = 16
x = 8
To solve this problem, we can use algebraic equations.
Let's assume the weight of the larger box is denoted as "x" lbs.
Given that the smaller box weighs 5 lbs. less than the larger box, we can express the weight of the smaller box as "x - 5" lbs.
Now, we know that the total weight of both boxes is 21 lbs.
So, we can write the equation as:
x + (x - 5) = 21
Combining like terms, we have:
2x - 5 = 21
Next, we'll isolate the variable term:
2x = 26
Finally, dividing both sides of the equation by 2, we can solve for x:
x = 13
Therefore, the weight of the larger box (x) is 13 lbs, and the weight of the smaller box (x - 5) is 8 lbs.