the sum of two numbers is 56. the difference of the 2 numbers is 16. what is the product of the two numbers?

So if you let x and y be the two numbers ...

the sum of the two means you add them together ... so you get:

x+y=56 : the difference means you subtract them ... so

x-y = 16

now you have two equations and two unknowns ... which you can solve with a variety of methods ... you can use elimination, substitution, or trial and error.

x+y=56

x-y = 16

I will use the elimination method: Because there is a plus y and a negative you cancel that out and you add the 2x's. Therefore:

2x=72

x=36

Now, you can plug in 36 into one of your original equation:

36+y=56

y=20

Those are your two numbers!