Question

A water tank holds 657 gallons but is leaking at a rate of 4 gallons per week. A second water tank holds 876 gallons but is leaking at a rate of 7 gallons per week. After how many weeks will the amount of water in the two tanks be the same?

Answer 1

Sometimes setting up the equation is the hardest part. Starting gallons minus (leaking gallons times number of leaking weeks) equal to the other tank, same setup.

657 - 4w = 876 - 7w
3w = 219
w = 73

Checking the math:

657 - 4(73) = 365
876 - 7(73) = 365

73 weeks