Question

sum of the squares of two positive numbers is 88 the last number is 5 less than the twice the smaller number find the two numbers

Answer 1

Let the smaller number be x
Now the larger number = 5 less thann 2 times the smaller number
= 2x -5 
Difference of the sqaures of the 2 numbers is 88 
y2-x2 =88
y=2x-5
putting y in above equation,
we get 3x^-20x-63=0
on solving we get x= 9 and x =-7/3.
Therefore the smaller number is 9 and the bigger number is 2*9-5= 13
Ignoring the negative -7/3 as 2 times this number - 5 that is (-14/3 -5 =-29/5),gives a smaller number and not a larger number as in the problem statement