sylvia is carrying two bags of potatos, bag A and bag B. the weight of bag B is 3 pounds more than twice the weight of both bags of potatoes is 27 pounds. find the weight of each bag of potatos

Answer: Hello!

There are two bags:

you write: "the weight of bag B is 3 pounds more than twice the weight of both bags of potatoes is 27 pounds."

this has no sense, I think you want to write something like:

"The weight of bag B is 3 pounds more than the weight of bag A, and twice the weight of both bags of potatoes is 27 pounds.

If we define B as the wheight of bag B, and A as the wight of bag A; we know that:

B - A = 3lb

2 (B + A) = 27lb

in the first equation we can isolate B as: B = 3lb + A, and then replace it in the second equation:

2 (B + A) = 27lb

2 ((3lb + A) + A) = 27lb

6lb + 3A = 27lb

3A = 27lb - 6lb = 21lb

A = 21lb/3 = 7lb

now we can replace it in the first equation and get:

B - A = 3lb

B - 7lb = 3lb

B = 3lb + 7lb = 10lb

Then Bag A weights 7lb and bag B weights 10lb.

since there are two bags and theyre equal in weight, you have to subtract 3 then divide by 2.