AlgebraEasy–MediumTaller of two candles
Algebra practice question
Two candles have a combined height of 15 centimetres, and one is 3 centimetres taller than the other. How tall, in centimetres, is the taller candle?
Answer: 9
t + s = 15 and t − s = 3; adding gives 2t = 18, so t = 9.
Common wrong answers
- If you answered 6
- 6 is the shorter candle.
- If you answered 12
- 12 adds 3 to 9 again.
- If you answered 7.5
- 7.5 halves 15, ignoring the difference.
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