The difference between two numbers is twelve. Three times the smaller number is four less than twice the larger number. Find the smaller number. Solution let x and y are the no.s x-y =12--------1 2x-3y =4-------2 multiply 2 in equation 1 and then 1 -2 2x- 2y =24 2x-3y =4 => y = 20 => x= 12+20 = 32 so the larger no. is 32 and smaller is 20.