Book a has 24 more pages than book b. Book c has 4 times as many pages as book a. The total number of pages of pages of the three books is 180. How many pages does book b have?
a = 24 + b c = 4a = 4(24 +b) = 96 + 4b b =b a + b + c = 180 24 + b + b + 96 + 4b = 180 Combine the variables and the whole numbers: 120 + 6b = 180 -120 -120 6b = 60 divide on both sides by 6, and b=10 b = 10 a = 34 c = 136, 10 + 34 + 136 = 180