Question

Mary and Jim have tickets to a concert. Mary's ticket number is one less than Jim's ticket number. The product of their numbers is 812. What are the two numbers?

Answer 1

x+ (x-1)=812
x+x-1=812
2x-1=812
2x-1+1=812+1
2x=813
(2x/2)=(813/2)
x= 406.5

One ticket number has to be 406.5, and the other has to be 405.5

Answer 2

Mary - M
Jim - J

Mary's ticket number is one less than Jim's ticket number.
J - 1 = M

The product of their numbers is 812
M * J = 812

plus first equation into 2nd
(J - 1) J = 812
J^2 - J - 812 = 0
(J - 29) (J + 28) = 0
J = 29 or -28, 29 cuz you can't have negative for question.
J = 29

plus 29 in first equation,

29 - 1 = M
28 = M

Mary's ticket number is 28 and Jim is 29