Question

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

Answer 1

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

Answer 2

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

Answer 3

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

Answer 4

x=10

Answer 5

y=58

Answer 6

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.