Question

Two runners ran as a team in a 5,000-m relay race. the first runner ran 500 m farther than the second runner. how many meters did each run?

Answer 1

Let a = runner 2, a + 500 = runner 1.

a + (a + 500) = 5000
2a + 500 = 5000
2a = 4500
a = 2250

Runner 1 ran 2,750 meters. Runner 2 ran 2,250 meters.  

Answer 2

Let x be the distance first runner ran.
Since first runner ran 500m more than 2nd runner so, x-500.

The total distances they ran must add to 5000.

So,
x + x - 500 = 5000, or
2x = 5500, or
x = 2750.

So the first runner ran 2,750 m. And the second runner ran x - 500 = 2750 - 500 = 2,250 m.
Let's check 2750+2250 = 5000.
The answer's correct .