The Sum of Two Numbers is 17 and Their Difference is 2

The sum of two numbers is 17 and their difference is 2. What are the two numbers? Let's start by calling the two numbers we are looking for x and y.

The sum of x and y is 17. In other words, x plus y equals 17 and can be written as equation A:

x + y = 17

The difference between x and y is 2. In other words, x minus y equals 2 and can be written as equation B:

x - y = 2

Now solve equation B for x to get the revised equation B:

x - y = 2
x = 2 + y

Then substitute x in equation A from the revised equation B and then solve for y:

x + y = 17
2 + y + y = 17
2 + 2y = 17
2y = 15
y = 7.5

Now we know y is 7.5. Which means that we can substitute y for 7.5 in equation A and solve for x:

x + y = 17
x + 7.5 = 17
X = 9.5

Summary: The sum of two numbers is 17 and their difference is 2. What are the two numbers? Answer: 9.5 and 7.5 as proven here:

Sum: 9.5 + 7.5 = 17
Difference: 9.5 - 7.5 = 2

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The Sum of Two Numbers is 17 and Their Difference is 3
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