Question

During an intramural basketball game, team A scored 18 fewer points than team B. Together, both teams scored a total of 148 points. How many points did team A scored during the game

Answer 1

Here, you need to use some substitution. You want to get an equation all in the same variable. B scored a certain number of points and A scored 18 fewer. So A (in terms of B) = b - 18. Add A and B and set to equal 148. Remember A is now B-18. \[B-18+B=148-->2B-18=148-->2B=166-->B = 83\]See how that is done? It is so much easier when done using the same variable!