Some of the other answers are good examples of solving a system of three equations in three unknowns, which is what this problem is asking. Though the simplest way to solve this problem is actually to notice that, if we sum the three equations, we get: X + Y = 10
X + Z = 20
+ Y + Z = 24----------------2X + 2Y + 2Z = 54 Factoring out the 2, we have 2(X + Y + Z) = 54, and dividing both sides by 2 reveals that X + Y + Z = 27. This won't always work when you're solving three equations in three unknowns, but it's a trick that shows up frequently enough on assignments, standardized tests, etc. that it's worth mentioning.