Question

A textbook store sold a combined total of 426 math and sociology textbooks in a week. The number of math textbooks sold was 46 more than the number of sociology textbooks sold. How many textbooks of each type were sold?

Answer 1

The number of books sold were:

Math textbooks: 426
Sociology textbooks = 46

Explanation:

Let us use the variable
`m` to represent the number of math books sold

Let us use the variable
`s` to represent the number of math books sold

Combined total of 426 math and sociology books were sold is represented by the equation:

`m + s = 426\quad\quad\quad(1)`

Number of math books sold was 46 more than the number of sociology textbooks sold is given by

`m - s = 46\quad\quad\quad(2)`

Adding the equations (1) + (2):

`(m + s) + (m - s) = 426 + 46\\\\2m = 472\\\\m = (472)/(2)\\\\m = 236\\\\`

Using Equation (1):
`m + s = 426` we get

`236 + s = 426\\\\s = 426 - 236\\\\s = 190`