The sum of two numbers is 14 and their product is 36. What is the sum...
Sum of two numbers = 14
x + y = 14
product of two numbers = 36
xy = 36
Sum of reciprocals = 1/x + 1/y = x + y /xy = 14/36 = 7/18
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The sum of two numbers is 14 and their product is 36. What is the sum...
Let's assume the two numbers as x and y.
Given that the sum of the two numbers is 14, we can write the equation as:
x + y = 14
Also, given that the product of the two numbers is 36, we can write the equation as:
xy = 36
To find the sum of the reciprocals of these numbers, we need to find the values of 1/x and 1/y and then add them together.
Let's find the value of x in terms of y from the first equation:
x = 14 - y
Substituting this value of x in the second equation, we get:
(14 - y)y = 36
Expanding the equation, we get:
14y - y^2 = 36
Rearranging the terms, we get a quadratic equation:
y^2 - 14y + 36 = 0
Now we can solve this quadratic equation to find the values of y.
Factoring the equation, we get:
(y - 6)(y - 6) = 0
So, the only possible value for y is 6.
Substituting this value of y in the first equation, we can find the value of x:
x + 6 = 14
x = 14 - 6
x = 8
Therefore, the two numbers are 8 and 6.
Now, let's find the sum of the reciprocals of these numbers:
1/x + 1/y = 1/8 + 1/6
= (6 + 8) / (8 * 6)
= 14 / 48
= 7 / 24
So, the sum of the reciprocals of the two numbers is 7/24.
Therefore, the correct answer is option C) 7/18.
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