SOLUTION: The sum of Jim's age and Mike's age is 52. Six years ago Mike was four times as old as Jim was. How old is Jim now? Could someone help me please?

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J+M=52 OR J=52-M
(J-6)=4(M-6)
(52-M-6)=4M-24
46-M=4M-24
-M-4M=-24-46
-5M=-70
M=-70/-5
M=14 ANSWER FOR MIKE'S AGE NOW.
J=52-14=38 ANSWER FOR JIM'S AGE NOW.
PROOF
38-6=4(14-6)
32=4*8
32=32

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let's say Jim's age now is J and Mike's age now is M. Six years ago, Mike was then M - 6, and Jim was J - 6, but we know that . We also know that

means that . We can substitute this information into the other equation:





Now all we have to do is simplify and solve:









That answers the question, but we have to check our work:

, so Mike must be 38 now.

Six years ago, Mike was 32, and Jim was , and , answer checks.