document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=163677>Question 163677</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Hi....I am having a really hard time with word problems. I am not sure how to make this into an equation. Please help!!!\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Tom is twice as old as Jill. In 6 years, Tom will be half again as old as Jill. How old are Tom and Jill?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Thanks....Kathy Gafford </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #120593 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=midwood_trail><B>midwood_trail(310)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-10.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=midwood_trail><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=120593\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Kathy,\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "This is a typical age word problem.  You will see lots of them in math courses.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Your Question:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Tom is twice as old as Jill. In 6 years, Tom will be half again as old as Jill. How old are Tom and Jill?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The question does not give us Jill's age.  I will use J to represent Jill.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "You could use any letter but J is easier to connect with Jill.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So, let J = Jill.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Tom is twice as old as Jill.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So, let Tom = 2 times J or simply 2J\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "We are now going into the future exactly 6 years.  \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "This means they both will be 6 years older.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Do you agree?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Jill's age 6 years from now = J + 6\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Tom's age 6 years from now = (1/2)(J)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "We equate J + 6 = 2J + (1/2)(J) and solve for J.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "By the way, we can write (1/2)(J) as J/2...they both mean the same thing.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Back to your question.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "J + 2 = 2J + J/2\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "We want to remove the fraction J/2.  It's easier working without fractions.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "To do so, multiply each term on both sides of the equation by 2.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "2 times (J + 2) = 2J times(2) + 2 times(J/2)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "We now have this:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "2J + 12 = 4J + J\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "2J + 12 = 5J\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "12 = 5J - 2J\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "12 = 3J\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "12/3 = J\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "4 = J\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "At the beginning, I said that J = Jill's age.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So, Jill is 4 years old.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I also said that Tom's age is 2J.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So, Tom's age = 2(4) or 8 years old.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Did you follow?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
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