the greater of two numbers is 8 more than 5 times the smaller. their sum is 68. Find the numbers?

Question

anonymous · Answer

$$8+5x=y$$ 
Where the "greater" is y. Thats how I read the first sentence. Think about how you'd read the second part.

anonymous · Answer

how do i know when I am finding y or x?

anonymous · Answer

y=8+5x
x=y=68
x+8+5x=68
6x+8=68
6x=60

anonymous · Answer

x=10

anonymous · Answer

y=58

anonymous · Answer

Looks alright to me. I assume the line where x=y=68 is supposed to read x+y=68.  You know what you are finding because its the value you don't have.  Fortunately in this case you have two different relations for y and x... which means you can combine those relations to find them both.