A group of 46 friends are going to a beach house in Pismo for the weekend. They plan on renting small cars
and large cars to make the trip.
Each small car can hold 2 people and each large car
can hold 4 people. They rented 8 more small cars than
large cars.
Determine the number of small cars they rented and
the number of large cars they rented.
1) Define your variables with "Let" statements.

5 large cars, 13 small cars

Let s = # of small cars (2 people)
Let l = # of large cars (4 people)

2s + 4l = 46
l + 8 = s

2(l + 8) + 4l = 46
2l + 16 + 4l = 46
6l = 30
l = 5

Check:
2s + 4l = 46
2(13) + 4(5) = 46
26 + 20 = 46
46 = 46

Small car (x) seat 2 people
large car (y) seat 4 people
Total number of people is 46
8 more small cats than large cats(8+y=x)
2x+4y=46
x=8+y
2(8+y)+4y=46
16+2y+4y=46
6y=46-16
6y=30
y=30/6
y=5 aka 5 large cars

x=8+y
x=8+5
x=13 aka 13 small cars

2•13+4•5=26+20=46 seats for everyone

Good luck.

the law of definite proportions states samples of a compound will always contain the same proportion of elements by mass. in other words, a given compound will always contain the same elements in the same proportions by mass.the law of multiple proportions states when two elements combine with each other to form more than one compound, then the weights of one element that combine with a fixed weight of the other are in a ratio of small whole numbers.