The sum of three numbers is $96.$ The first number is $6$ times the third number, and the third number is $40$ less than the second number. What is the absolute value of the difference between the first and second numbers?
$\textbf{(A) } 1 \qquad \textbf{(B) } 2 \qquad \textbf{(C) } 3 \qquad \textbf{(D) } 4 \qquad \textbf{(E) } 5$
Let $x$ be the third number. It follows that the first number is $6x,$ and the second number is $x+40.$
We have \[6x+(x+40)+x=8x+40=96,\] from which $x=7.$
Therefore, the first number is $42,$ and the second number is $47.$ Their absolute value of the difference is $|42-47|=\boxed{\textbf{(E) } 5}.$
~MRENTHUSIASM