SOLUTION: Scott is now 24 and Shannon is 12 years old. How many years ago was Scott 4 times as old as Shannon at that time?

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Question 1145860: Scott is now 24 and Shannon is 12 years old. How many years ago was Scott 4 times as old as Shannon at that time?
Found 3 solutions by josgarithmetic, greenestamps, ikleyn:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Answer by greenestamps(13200)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!


When Scott was 4 times as old as Shannon, let their ages be 4x and x. The difference in those ages is 4x-x = 3x.

The difference in their age is given as 24-12 = 12.

We want to find when the difference of 12 years in their ages was equal to 3x:
3x = 12
x = 4

Scott was 4 times as old as Shannon when she was x=4 and he was 4x=16.

Since they are now 24 and 12, that was 8 years ago.
Answer by ikleyn(52781)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
Do it directly, following to the condition description


Let x = "How many years ago . . . ", which is exactly the value under the question.


Then you have the equation, directly from the condition


     = 4.


Multiply both sides by (12-x).  You will get


    24 - x = 4*(12-x)

    24 - x = 48 - 4x

    4x - x = 48 - 24

     3x    = 24

      x    = 24/3 = 8.


ANSWER.  8 years ago.


CHECK.   8 years ago Scott was 24-8 = 16 years old.

         8 years ago Shannon was 12-8 = 4 years old.


          = 4.     ! Precisely correct !

Solved.

It is   the Algebra way.


It is what your teacher expects of you and how it should be done.

And how you should do it.


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