James has 1313 more marbles than he did last year. If James now has 1717 marbles write an equation for 𝑗j, the amount of marbles James had last year.

Break Down the Problem

1. Let $j$ represent the number of marbles James had last year.
2. According to the problem, James has 1313 more marbles than last year.
3. James currently has 1717 marbles.

Relevant Concepts

To convey the relationship of marbles over the years, we can formulate an equation based on the information provided.

Equation Formation

The relationship can be expressed as: $j + 1313 = 1717$

Analysis and Detail

From the equation $j + 1313 = 1717$:

1. To solve for $j$, we need to isolate it on one side of the equation.
2. We can do this by subtracting 1313 from both sides.

Calculations

$j + 1313 - 1313 = 1717 - 1313 \\ j = 404$

Verify and Summarize

To verify:

1. If James had 404 marbles last year and he gained 1313, then: $404 + 1313 = 1717$
2. This confirms our equation is correct.

Final Answer

The number of marbles James had last year is $j = 404$.