One number is equal to the square of another. find the numbers if both are positive and their sum is 4242.

Let one number be x.

The other number is x².

Find x:

x² + x = 42

x² + x - 42 = 0

(x + 7) (x - 6) = 0

x = - 7 or x = 6

x = - 7 is rejected since the question asked for a positive number.

Find the numbers:

one number = x = 6

the other number = 6² = 36

Answer: 6 and 36