Question

Center City East Parking Garage has a capacity of 257 cars more than Center City West Parking Garage. If the combined capacity for the two garages is 1221 cars, find the capacity for each garage.

Answer 1

Center City West = x
Center City East = (x + 257)

Solve for x to find the capacity for Center City West and then we can find the capacity for Center City East.

(x + 257) + x = 1221
x + x + 257 = 1221
2x  + 257 - 257 = 1221 - 257
2x = 964
2x / 2 = 964 / 2
x = 482
Center City West capacity = 482

Now to find Center City East capacity we substitute 482 for x in (x + 257) 

(x + 257) 
(482 + 257)
482 + 257 = 739

Center City East capacity  = 739
Center City West capacity = 482