Garden one has 9 more bushes of red currant than garden two. if 3 bushes were transplanted from garden two to garden one, then garden one would have 1.5 times more bushes than garden two. how many currant bushes are there in garden one?

Garden one and two are both unknown, so I am choosing to call garden 2 X and then label garden 1 with comparisons to X.

It is tempting to list:

Garden Two = X

Garden One = X + 9

BUT there is an easier way. We are told that when 3 bushes are taken from garden 2 (x-3) and put in garden 1 (x + 12) then garden one has 1.5 times more than garden two.

Set it up like this:

1.5 ( x - 3) = x + 12 (because 1.5 times garden 2 will give us garden 1)

1.5x - 4.5 = x + 12 (Distribute)

.5x = 16.5 (Use subtraction to move variables to the right and other numb left)

x = 33 for Garden 2

33  + 9 for Garden 1 = 42

-2

7 - 9 = -2

reversed:

-2 + 9 = 7