Simba weighs five pounds more than Sasha. If they both gain two
pounds, Simba will weigh twice as much as Sasha. How many pounds
does Sasha weigh now?
b = h + 5
b + 2 = 2 (h + 5 + 2)
solve the system ... substitution seems like a good approach
oops...
2nd equation should be ... b + 2 = 2 (h + 2)
Thanks R_scott
To solve this problem, let's use algebra to represent the information given.
Let's say Sasha's current weight is x pounds.
According to the given information, Simba weighs five pounds more than Sasha. Therefore, Simba's weight can be represented as (x + 5) pounds.
If they both gain two pounds, Sasha's new weight would be (x + 2) pounds, and Simba's new weight would be ((x + 5) + 2) pounds, which simplifies to (x + 7) pounds.
Now, according to the problem, Simba's new weight is twice Sasha's new weight. So we can write the equation:
x + 7 = 2(x + 2)
Simplifying the equation:
x + 7 = 2x + 4
Bringing the x terms to one side:
x - 2x = 4 - 7
Simplifying further:
- x = -3
Dividing both sides by -1 to solve for x:
x = 3
Therefore, Sasha currently weighs 3 pounds.