Question

In the basketball game, Sarah made three times as many 2-point shots as 3-point shots. She made 8 shots in all. How many 2-point shots did she make?








A.
2







B.
3







C.
5







D.
6
can someone explain to me how to work out these problems?

Answer 1

Let's say that 2 point shots = x and 3 point shots = y
Since she made 3 times as many 2 point shots as 3 points, x = 3y
and since she made 8 shots in total, x + y = 8
we can substitute x = 3y in to the second equation to give
3y + y = 8
4y = 8
y = 2, So she made 2 of the 3 point shots.
Substitute this answer into the second equation to give:
x+2 = 8
x = 6, So she made 6 of the 2 point shots.