The sum of two numbers is less than 12. The second number is 8 more than the first. What are the possible values for the first of the two numbers?
Your problem would look like this
X+(X+8)<12
X ia the firt number and X+8 is the second. 2+(2+8)= 12 so it is any number under 2
Try 1 1+(1+8)= 10
so therefore it is 1 for x and all of the the negative numbers.
When it says "sum" you add, it says two numbers but not which ones, so it is unknown and therefore X. When you see "more than" you also add, so that gives a hint to what the problem should look like then you just plug numbers in.
Hope that helps!
To solve the problem, you correctly set up the equation as X + (X + 8) < 12.
To simplify, combine like terms:
2X + 8 < 12.
Next, isolate the variable by subtracting 8 from both sides:
2X < 4.
Finally, divide both sides by 2 to solve for X:
X < 2.
Therefore, the value of the first number (X) can be any number less than 2, including negative numbers.