Endeavor Solved Examples

Solved Examples – Linear Equation

Example 1: Sum of two consecutive odd numbers is 56. Find the numbers.
Solution: Let the two consecutive odd nos. be 𝑥 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦 respectively.
Then the equations would be: 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 56 ------------ (1)
and the bigger number 𝑦 = 𝑥 + 2 -------------- (2)
On solving these two equations we will get the answer as 27 and 29.

Example 2: In a mall, two pants and three shirts cost Rs. 2500/- whereas three pants and five shirts costs Rs. 3900/-. What
will be the equations to represent this scenario?
Solution: Let the cost of each pants = 𝑅𝑠. 𝑥 and the cost of each shirt = 𝑅𝑠. 𝑦
Then, 2𝑥 + 3𝑦 = 2500 ---------------- (1)
And 3𝑥 + 5𝑦 = 3900 ------------------ (2)

Example 3: Two friends Jai and Veeru together had 64 marbles with them. At the end of the game, Veeru had thrice the
number of marbles that Jai had. Frame the equations.
Solution: Let Jai and Veeru have 𝑥 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦 marbles respectively.
Then 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 64 ------------- (1)
And 𝑦 = 3𝑥 ------------------ (2)
Note: 1) If there are two unknown quantities, then we should be able to frame two equations.
2) As a thumb rule, we should use minimum number of variables while solving a question.

Example 4: Two ice creams and one chocolate costs Rs. 110/- where as one ice cream and two chocolate cost Rs. 130/-.
What is the cost of each item?
Solution: Let the cost of each ice cream = 𝑥 and the cost of each chocolate = 𝑦.
In equation form, this is expressed as 2𝑥 + 𝑦 = 110and 𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 130
Hence, we get two simultaneous equations (in two variables). Now we need to solve these equations simultaneously to get
the answer.
For now, if we take 𝑥 = 30 and 𝑦 = 50, both the equations are satisfied by these values. Hence, each ice cream cost Rs. 30
and each chocolate cost Rs. 50. Since the same value of x and y satisfy both the equations, we conclude that the equations
are solved simultaneously.
In most of the questions, we end up framing and solving simultaneous equations. Although both the stages are important,
the critical part is to frame the equation correctly. Once the equations are framed correctly solving them is generally the
easier part. With enough practice, we can learn how to create and solve equations correctly.

Example 5: If 3𝑥 + 4𝑦 = 18 and 5𝑥 + 8𝑦 = 34, find x and y.

Solution: By this method, if we wish to eliminate the 𝑥 variable, we need to make the coefficients of 𝑥 terms the same. So
st nd
we multiply the 1 equation by 5 and the 2 equation by 3. On closer observation we realize that eliminating 𝑦 will be
st
simpler here. If we multiply the 1 equation by 2, then the 𝑦 term becomes 8𝑦 which is same as the 𝑦 term in equation
(2). Let us do that:
3𝑥 + 4𝑦 = 18------- (1) x 2
5𝑥 + 8𝑦 = 24 ------- (2)
Gives 6𝑥 + 8𝑦 = 36------ (3)
And 5𝑥 + 8𝑦 = 34 -------- (2) (Note equation 2 is kept as it is)
Now on subtracting equation (2) from equation (1), we get 𝑥 = 2
Put this value of 𝑥 in any of the two equations, we will get the value of 𝑦.
Let’s go with equation – (1)
3(2) + 4𝑦 = 18 ⇒ 4𝑦 = 18 − 6 ⇒ 4𝑦 = 12 ⇒ 𝑦 = 3
Hence the solution is (2, 3) i.e. 𝑥 = 2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦 = 3

Example 6: A father is 9 times his sons present age. After 4 years, he will be 5 times his sons age. What are their present
ages?
Solution: We frame the equations, taking father’s present age as x and sons present age as y.
𝑥 = 9𝑦---- (1)
After 4 years, fathers age will be (𝑥 + 4) and sons age will be (𝑦 + 4)
nd
The 2 equation will be
(𝑥 + 4) = 5 (𝑦 + 4) ⇒ 𝑥 = 5𝑦 + 16 --- (2)
Here we can directly substitute the value of x from equation (1) into equation (2) to get
9𝑦 = 5𝑦 + 16 ⇒ 4𝑦 = 16 ⇒ 𝑦 = 4
Using this in equation 1, we get 𝑥 = 9(4) = 36
So, the father’s age is 36 years and son’s age is 4 years.

CAT/Linear Equations/SE/2018 _____________________________________________

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Endeavor Solved Examples

Example 7: In a fraction the numerator and denominator differ by 1 and the numerator is less than the denominator. If 1 is
1
added to the numerator and 4 is added to the denominator the fraction becomes 2 . Find the fraction.
𝑥
Solution: Let the fraction be 𝑦
So, 𝑦 − 𝑥 = 1---- (1)
𝑥+1 1
And 𝑦 + 4 = 2
⇒ 2 (𝑥 + 1 ) = 𝑦 + 4
⇒ 2𝑥 − 𝑦 = 2 ---- (2)
On solving (1) and (2) we get
3
𝑥 = 3 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦 = 4. The fraction is 4.

Example 8: The sum of the digits of a two digit number is 9. If the digits are reversed, the new number formed exceeds the
original number by 45. Find the number.
Solution: Let the 2 digit number be 𝑥𝑦
The first equation is simple 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 9----- (1)
To get the second equation:
The value of a 2 digit number 𝑥𝑦 = (10𝑥 + 𝑦)
For e.g. if the number is 63 then its value is 60 + 3 i.e. (10 x 6 + 3)
If we interchange the digits, the number becomes 𝑦𝑥 and its value will be (10𝑦 + 𝑥). As per the question the new number
exceeds the original number by 45. So the equation will be
(10𝑦 + 𝑥) − (10𝑥 + 𝑦) = 45
9𝑦 − 9𝑥 = 45 𝑜𝑟 𝑦 − 𝑥 = 5 ---- (2)
Using both the equations, we get:𝑥 = 2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦 = 7.
Hence, the number is 27.

Example 9: There are two siblings Anu and Manu. 4 years ago Manu was twice as old as Anu. Four year hence Manu will
be one and a half times Anu’s age. Find their ages.
Solution: Let Anu’s age be 𝑥 and Manu’s age by 𝑦 .
Then 4 years ago Anu = (𝑥 − 4)and Manu =(𝑦 − 4)
st
The 1 equation will be 𝑦 − 4 = 2 (𝑥 − 4) ⇒ 2𝑥 − 𝑦 = 4 ----- (1)
4 years hence: Anu will be (x + 4) years and Manu will be (𝑦 + 4)years old.
The 2nd equation will be:
3
𝑦 + 4 = 2 (𝑥 + 4) ⇒ 2𝑦 + 8 = 3𝑥 + 12 ⇒ 2𝑦 − 3𝑥 = 4----- (2)
On solving equations (1) and (2), we get:
𝑥 = 12 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦 = 20
Hence the present age of Anu is 12 years and of Manus is 20 years.

Example 10: Hari has 10 coins in his pocket. The coins are of either Rs. 2/- or Rs. 5/- denominations. The coins amount to
Rs. 38/-. How many Rs. 5/- coins does he have?
Solution: Let the number of Rs. 2/- coins be 𝑥 and the number of Rs. 5/- coins be 𝑦
Then 𝑥 + 𝑦 = 10---- (1)
2𝑥 + 5𝑦 = 38---- (2)
On solving these equations, we get 𝑥 = 4 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦 = 6
Hence, he has six Rs. 5/- coins.

Example 11: A farmer has some hens and some goats. The total number of animals is 30 and the sum of their legs is 84.
How many goats does he have?
Solution: Let number of hens = 𝑥 and number of goats = 𝑦.
Then, the equations are:
𝑥 + 𝑦 = 30------ (1)
2𝑥 + 4𝑦 = 84 ⇒ 𝑥 + 2𝑦 = 42 ----- (2)
On solving (1) & (2) we get 𝑥 = 18 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑦 = 12. Hence there are 12 goats.

CAT/Linear Equations/SE/2018 _____________________________________________

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