The sum of two numbers is 38 . The smaller number is 10 less than the larger number. What are the numbers?
Let the two numbers be x and y. Then ...
x + y = 38 (The sum of two numbers is 38)
x = y - 10 (The smaller number is 10 less than the larger)
We can rewrite these two equations as,
x + y = 38
x - y = -10
Now add the two equations together to get,
2x = 28
x = 14
y = 24
The two numbers are: 14 and 24.