The sum of two numbers is 61, and their difference is sixteen more than the smaller number. What are the two numbers?

Question

anonymous · Answer

Begin by listing out your givens.

asnaseer · Answer

call one number x and the other one y, where x > y.
then we can write:

x + y = 61
x - y = 16y

and solve to find x and y.

anonymous · Answer

I got this part but Im lost at what to do next

anonymous · Answer

I'm not understanding why you have 2 equations.
Let x = smaller number
Let x + 16 = larger number

asnaseer · Answer

the second part of the question states:
"...their difference is sixteen more than the smaller number"

which translates to:
x - y = 16y

anonymous · Answer

Would it not be x - y = 16 + y then?

asnaseer · Answer

hmmm.... maybe you are right here - I took "16 more" to mean "16 times more".
I think your interpretation is the correct one.