One number is three less than another. Their sum is nine. Find both numbers.
A) -14, 3
B) 9, 0
C) 6, 3
D) 6, -3
E) -6, -2

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Let's call the smaller number "x" and the larger number "y". According to the problem, we have two pieces of information:
1. "One number is three less than another" can be written as: y = x + 3
2. "Their sum is nine" can be written as: x + y = 9

We can use the first equation to solve for one of the variables in terms of the other. Let's solve for "y":
y = x + 3

Now we can substitute this expression for "y" into the second equation:
x + y = 9
x + (x + 3) = 9

Simplifying:
2x + 3 = 9
2x = 6
x = 3

So the smaller number is 3. We can use the first equation to find the larger number:
y = x + 3
y = 3 + 3
y = 6

So the larger number is 6. Therefore, the answer is C: 6, 3

One Number Is Three Less Than Another