Question

The sum of two numbers is 47. The greater number is 9 more than the smaller number. Which equation can be used to solve for the smaller number?
x + (x + 9) = 47
x − (x + 9) = 47
x(x + 9) = 47
x(x − 9) = 47

Answer 1

Try writing out out the equation from the word problem. When they say "a number" automatically think x or y. They might say the other number is 9 more than the first number. So you could write the first unknown number to be x and the second unknown number to be x + 9. The problem says that added together they equal 47 so you have:

x + (x+9) = 47

Answer 2

oh ok so put x+9 because that is what you would add