Answer:
[tex]\huge\boxed{\sf 5}[/tex]
Step-by-step explanation:
Let the numbers be x and y
Condition 1:
x + y = 17 ---------------------(1)
Condition 2:
[tex]\sf x = \frac{2}{3} y - 3[/tex] ------------------(2)
Put Eq. (2) in (1)
[tex]\sf \frac{2}{3} y - 3 + y = 17\\\\\frac{2y+3y}{3} = 17 + 3\\\\\frac{5y}{3} = 20\\\\5y = 20 * 3\\\\5y = 60\\\\Divide \ both \ sides \ by \ 5\\\\y = 60 / 5\\\\y = 12[/tex]
[tex]\rule[225]{225}{2}[/tex]
Put y = 12 in Eq. (1)
x + 12 = 17
Subtracting 12 to both sides
x = 17 - 12
x = 5
[tex]\rule[225]{225}{2}[/tex]
The lesser number is 5
[tex]\rule[225]{225}{2}[/tex]
Hope this helped!
~AH1807
