Question

Adam and Tom share a sum of money in the ratio 18:17

Answer 1

x = total amount split between Adam and Tom.

since we know the total amount split between both in a 18 : 17 ratio is "x", let's divide "x" by (18 + 17) and distribute accordingly to get the amount of each.

$\stackrel{Adam~received}{18\cdot \cfrac{x}{18+17}}\qquad \qquad \stackrel{Tom~received}{17\cdot \cfrac{x}{18+17}} \\\\[-0.35em] ~\dotfill\\\\ \stackrel{\textit{since we know that Adam got "5" more}}{ \stackrel{Adam}{18\cdot \cfrac{x}{18+17}}~~ = ~~\stackrel{Tom}{17\cdot \cfrac{x}{18+17}~~ + ~~5} }\qquad \implies \qquad \cfrac{18x}{35}~~ + ~~\cfrac{17x}{35}+5$

$\stackrel{\textit{multiplying both sides by }\stackrel{LCD}{35}}{35\left( \cfrac{18x}{35} \right)~~ = ~~35\left( \cfrac{17x}{35}+5 \right)}\implies 18x~~ = ~~17x+175\implies \boxed{x =175} \\\\[-0.35em] ~\dotfill\\\\ \stackrel{Tom~received}{17\cdot \cfrac{x}{18+17}}\implies \cfrac{17(175)}{35}\implies \blacktriangleright 85 \blacktriangleleft$