document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=174113>Question 174113</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> the four oldest people in Golden City lived a total of 384 years put together. The difference in ages for the youngest and the second oldest is 14. The second youngest is 3 years older than the youngest. The oldest is 20 years older than the average of the second and youngest. What are their ages?  </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #129019 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=129019\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Let x=oldest<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y=2nd oldest<BR>\n" );
document.write( "z=2nd youngest<BR>\n" );
document.write( "w=youngest<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x+y+z+w=384------------------eq1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y-w=14----------------------------eq2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "z=w+3--------------------------------eq3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "average of second and youngest=(y+w)/2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x=((y+w)/2)+20  multiply each term by 2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2x=y+w+40---------------------------------eq4<BR>\n" );
document.write( "substitute z=w+3 from eq3 and y=w+14 from eq2 into eq1:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x+w+14+w+3+w=384;<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x+3w=384-17;<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x+3w=367-----------------------eq1a<BR>\n" );
document.write( "substitute y=w+14 into eq4<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2x=w+14+w+40;<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2x=2w+54<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x=w+27----------------------------eq4a<BR>\n" );
document.write( "substitute x=w+27 from eq4a into eq1a;<BR>\n" );
document.write( "w+27+3w=367<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4w=367-27<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4w=340<BR>\n" );
document.write( "w=85----------------------------youngest<BR>\n" );
document.write( "substitute w=85 into eq3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "z=85+3=88---------------------------second youngest<BR>\n" );
document.write( "substitute w=85 into eq2<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y-85=14<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y=85+14=99-------------------------------second oldest<BR>\n" );
document.write( "substitute w=85 into eq4a<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x=85+27=112------------------------oldest\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "CK<BR>\n" );
document.write( "112+99+88+85=384<BR>\n" );
document.write( "384=384<BR>\n" );
document.write( "and<BR>\n" );
document.write( "99-85=14<BR>\n" );
document.write( "14=14<BR>\n" );
document.write( "and<BR>\n" );
document.write( "88=85+3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "88=88<BR>\n" );
document.write( "and<BR>\n" );
document.write( "((99+85)/2)+20=112<BR>\n" );
document.write( "92+20=112<BR>\n" );
document.write( "112=112\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Does this help???-----ptaylor<BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );