Question

Mateo read the thermometer this evening. The temperature was 52 degrees. This temperature was 3 degrees less than the temperature in the afternoon. The afternoon temperature was 21 degrees greater than the temperature in the morning. What was the temperature in the morning?

Answer 1

`T_(2) = 34\,^(\textdegree)F`

Explanation:

The temperature in the afternoon was:

`T_(1) = 52\,^(\textdegree)F + 3\,^(\textdegree)F`

`T_(1) = 55\,^(\textdegree)F`

Lastly, the temperature in the morning was:

`T_(2) = 55\,^(\textdegree)F-21\,^(\textdegree)F`

`T_(2) = 34\,^(\textdegree)F`

Answer 2

The temperature in the morning was 34 degrees.

Explanation:

I am going to attribute a variable to each of these tempertures, and build the equations.

Mateo read the thermometer this evening. The temperature was 52 degrees.

I am going to call the evening's temperature x.

So x = 52.

This temperature was 3 degrees less than the temperature in the afternoon.

I am going to call the afternoon's temperature y.

So

x = y - 3

52 = y - 3

y = 52 + 3

y = 55

The afternoon temperature was 21 degrees greater than the temperature in the morning.

The morning's temperature is z.

y = 21 + z

55 = 21 + z

z = 34

The temperature in the morning was 34 degrees.