SOLUTION: Meg is 6 years younger than Nelson. Nelson will be 20% older than Meg in 16 years. How old will each of them be in 10 years from today?

Question 1195909: Meg is 6 years younger than Nelson. Nelson will be 20% older than Meg in 16 years. How old will each of them be in 10 years from today?
Found 2 solutions by josgarithmetic, greenestamps:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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Meg is 6 years younger than Nelson. Nelson will be 20% older than Meg in 16 years.
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Currently

Sixteen years in the future, Nelson , and Meg ;
At that time, Nelson "20% older than Meg"?

You could work with the two equations ....

-------------------Meg TODAY...
------------------Nelson TODAY.
Answer by greenestamps(13200) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

The other tutor showed a typical formal algebraic solution, using a standard method for setting up the problem. Here is a very different approach.

The difference in their ages is now, and will always be, 6 years.

When Nelson is 20% older than Meg, that "20% older" will be "6 years older".

So if x is Meg's age when Nelson is 20% older, then

.20(x) = 6
x = 6/.20 = 30

So when Meg is 30, Nelson will be 36. (6 years older than 30 is 36; and 20% older than 30 is 30+6=36.)

That will happen 16 years from now, so their ages now are 14 and 20.

And so 10 years from now their ages will be 24 and 30.

ANSWERS: Meg 24, Nelson 30.

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