One integer is four times other. The sum of the integers is 5. What is the value of the lesser integer?

Let x = the lesser integer and now let y = the greater integer. The ?rst sentence in the question provides the equation y = 4x. The second sentence provides the equation x + y = 5. Substitute y = 4x within the second equation: x + 4x = 5. Combine like terms on the left side of the equation: 5x = 5; divide both sides of the equation through 5: 5x/5 = 5/5 . This provides a solution of x= 1, which is the lesser integer.