Question

Kay and Allen sell cell phones. Last month Kay sold 17 more cell phones than Allen. Together they both sold 117 cell phones. How many phones did each of them sell individually? Show the equation you used to determine the answers

Answer 1

Kay sold 67; Allen sold 50

Explanation:

Let "a" represent the number of phones that Allen sold.

a + (a+17) = 117 . . . equation used to find the answer

2a = 100 . . . . . . . . subtract 17, collect terms

a = 50 . . . . . . . . . . divide by 2; the number Allen sold

a+17 = 67 . . . . . . . . Kay sold 17 more than Allen