A man sold 3 times as many tie dyed shirts as white shirts. He sold 196 shirts altogether. How many tie dyed shirts did he sell?

We solve this the following way:

tie dyed shirts = x

white shirts = y

x = 3y

x + y = 196

3y + y = 196 (we substitute the x with the 3y in the main equation)

4y = 196 (divide this)

y = 49

x = 147

The man sold 147 tie dyed shirts and 49 white shirts.