Question

***PLEASE HELP*** Last year, Lien earned $1500 more than her husband. Together they earned $37,500. How much did each of them earn? ***I cant figure out the equation!***

Answer 1

Husband's earnings = x
Lien's earnings = x + 1500
x + (x+1500) = 37500

Answer 2

Alright, let's take it one step at a time :).

Write your given in one side and RTF (required to find) in the other side and you'll have the following as given:

1) Let's let Lien be (L)
2) Husband be (H)

Given:

Lien has 1500 more than her husband, do we know how much her husband has? no , so we'll keep him as H , but we know that Lien has :

L (has) = 1500 ( more) + (than her husband) H

Now together they gained 37500 so :

L + H = 37500

These are your equations , now you must link them to find how much did each get so you'll have :

L = 1500 + H, substitute L in the other equation and you'll get:

L + H = 37500
1500 + H + H= 37500 , now solve for H (husband) and you'll know how much he'll get so:

H = 18,000, so the husband has $18,000

Now substitute this in the first equation to know how much Lien got so :

L = 1500 + H
L = 1500 + 18000
L = 19500

So Lien got , $19500

Do you understand what was going on now? ^_^