Answer:
E = 151 2/3
Step-by-step explanation:
We need to set up a system of equations to solve for the 2 unknowns. The first equation is very basic, taken from the sentence "...their total weight is 225 pounds..."
This is
B + E = 225 in equation form.
Next, we know that E is twice the weight of B plus 5 (wording it a little differently helps eliminate the seeming ambiguity of the order things go in). That looks like this algebraically:
E = 2B + 5
From above, we know that E + B = 225, so let's sub in the equivalent statement for E to get an equation with only one unknown:
B + (2B + 5) = 225 which simplifies to 3B = 220 and B = 73 1/3 pounds.
E can be found now by plugging the value of B:
E = 2(73 1/3) + 5
E = 151 2/3 pounds
