A total of 479 tickets were sold for the school play. They were either adult tickets or student tickets. There were 71 fewer student tickets sold than adult tickets. How many adult tickets were sold?

Say the number of adult tickets is x. That means the number of student tickets is 71 less, making it x - 71.

We can add the number of student and adult tickets, because we know their sum is 479.

x + x - 71 = 479

Now, we solve for x.

2x - 71 = 479

2x = 550

x = 275

So, there were 275 adult tickets sold.