Max has x cards.
Tom has 2 more than 4 times as many as Max has, so Tom has 4 * x + 2.
Together they have 72 cards.
We can write it as an equation:
72 = x + 4 * x + 2
72 = x + 4x + 2
72 = 5x + 2 / - 2 (both sides)
70 = 5x / ÷ 5 (both sides)
x = 14
So Max has 14 cards and Tom has 4 * 14 + 2 = 56 + 2 = 58 cards.
58 + 14 = 72, so it's correct :)