document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=189681>Question 189681</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Stevie is twice as old as his brother. Four years ago he was four times as old  as his brother. Find their present ages. Can anyone help me, I'm having a lot of trouble coming up with an equation. I can't thank you guys enough!! <BR>\n" );
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document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #142326 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><B>jim_thompson5910(35256)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><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=142326\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Let s=Stevie's age and b=Brother's age\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So this means that \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "s-4 = Stevie's age 4 years ago, and\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "b-4=Brother's age 4 years ago\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "\"Stevie is twice as old as his brother\" translates to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=s=2b ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"s=2b\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "\"Four years ago he was four times as old as his brother\" translates to <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=s-4=4%28b-4%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"s-4=4%28b-4%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=s-4=4%28b-4%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"s-4=4%28b-4%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Start with the second equation.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2b-4=4%28b-4%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2b-4=4%28b-4%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Plug in <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=s=2b ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"s=2b\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2b-4=4b-16 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2b-4=4b-16\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Distribute.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2b=4b-16%2B4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2b=4b-16%2B4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Add <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to both sides.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2b-4b=-16%2B4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2b-4b=-16%2B4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Subtract <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4b ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4b\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > from both sides.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-2b=-16%2B4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-2b=-16%2B4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Combine like terms on the left side.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-2b=-12 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-2b=-12\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Combine like terms on the right side.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b=%28-12%29%2F%28-2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b=%28-12%29%2F%28-2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Divide both sides by <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > to isolate <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b=6 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b=6\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Reduce.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So Stevie's brother is currently 6 years old. Also, he was 2 years old 4 years ago.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=s=2b ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"s=2b\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Go back to the first equation\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=s=2%286%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"s=2%286%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Plug in <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=b=6 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"b=6\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=s=12 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"s=12\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Multiply\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So Stevie is currently 12 years old. Four years ago, he was 8 years old. Notice how <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=8=2%2A4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"8=2%2A4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > (ie 8 yrs old is 4 times greater than 2 yrs old) </SPAN>\n" );
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