document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=163736>Question 163736</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Please help with this. Thanks\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Eric is 2 years younger than his brother Bill and 2 years older that his sister Beth. The sum of the 3 is 60 years. What is the age of each person?  </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #120619 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=gonzo><B>gonzo(654)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-11.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=gonzo><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=120619\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Let x = Eric's age<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Let y = Bill's age<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Let z = Beth's age<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "since Eric is 2 years younger than his brother Bill,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = y-2<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "since Eric is 2 years older than his sister Beth,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = z+2<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "since the sum of all their ages equals 60,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x + y + z = 60<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "since y-2 and z+2 are both equal to x, then they are equal to each other.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y-2 = z+2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "solving for y, we get<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y = z+4<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "we should be able to solve for z.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "using the equation for the sum of their ages = 60, we have<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x + y + z = 60<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "since y = z+4, we can substitute in the equation to get<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x + (z+4) + z = 60<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "since x = z + 2, we can substitute in the original equation again to get<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(z+2) + (z+4) + z = 60<BR>\n" );
document.write( "this becomes<BR>\n" );
document.write( "z+2+z+4+z = 60<BR>\n" );
document.write( "which becomes<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3z+6 = 60<BR>\n" );
document.write( "which becomes<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3z = 54<BR>\n" );
document.write( "which becomes<BR>\n" );
document.write( "z = 18<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "since we know z, we can solve for x and for y.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = z+2 = 18 + 2 = 20<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y = z+4 = 18 + 4 = 22<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "sum of their ages is 60<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x + y + z = 60<BR>\n" );
document.write( "20 + 22 + 18 = 60<BR>\n" );
document.write( "60 = 60<BR>\n" );
document.write( "sum equations are good.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x = Eric's age = 20<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y = Bill's age = 22<BR>\n" );
document.write( "z = Beth's age = 18<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Eric is 2 years younger than Bill.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "20 + 2 = 22<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Eric is 2 years older than Beth<BR>\n" );
document.write( "20 - 2 = 18<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "all formulas check out.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Eric is 20<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Bill is 22<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Beth is 18<BR>\n" );
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