document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=167167>Question 167167</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Please help me answer this question:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Tom's father is 3 times old as Tom. 4 years ago, he was 4 times older. How old is  Tom? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #123117 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=ptaylor><B>ptaylor(2198)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=ptaylor><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/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=ptaylor><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=123117\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Let x=Tom's age now<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Then 3x=Tom's father's age now<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x-4=Tom's age 4 years ago<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4(x-4)=Tom's father's age 4 years ago<BR>\n" );
document.write( "So, our equation to solve is:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "4(x-4)=3x-4  get rid of parens<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4x-16=3x-4  subtract 4x from and add 4 to each side<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4x-4x-16+4=3x-4x-4+4  collect like terms<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-12=-x or<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x=12 --------------Tom's age now<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3x=3*12=36 Tom's father's age now\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "CK<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4(12-4)=3*12-4<BR>\n" );
document.write( "32=36-4<BR>\n" );
document.write( "32=32\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Hope this helps---ptaylor </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );