Questions on Word Problems: Age answered by real tutors!

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Question 152560: please help me with the question: scott is now 24 and shannon is 12 years old. how many years ago was scott 4 times as old as shannon was at that time?: please help me with the question: scott is now 24 and shannon is 12 years old. how many years ago was scott 4 times as old as shannon was at that time?
Answer by jim_thompson5910(9226) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The word problem translates into this equation

24-x=4(12-x) where x is the number of years ago that scott was 4 times as old as shannon



24-x=4(12-x) Start with the given equation.


24-x=48-4x Distribute.


-x=48-4x-24 Subtract 24 from both sides.


-x+4x=48-24 Add 4x to both sides.


3x=48-24 Combine like terms on the left side.


3x=24 Combine like terms on the right side.


x=(24)/(3) Divide both sides by 3 to isolate x.


x=8 Reduce.


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Answer:

So the answer is x=8 which means that 8 years ago scott was 4 times as old as shannon
Question 152560: please help me with the question: scott is now 24 and shannon is 12 years old. how many years ago was scott 4 times as old as shannon was at that time?: please help me with the question: scott is now 24 and shannon is 12 years old. how many years ago was scott 4 times as old as shannon was at that time?
Answer by scott8148(2725) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
let n="number of years ago"

(24-n)/(12-n)=4 __ multiplying by 12-n __ 24-n=48-4n __adding 4n-24 __ 3n=24 __ dividing by 3 __ n=8