document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=226119>Question 226119</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Mary is 3 years older than her brother Tom, and Tom is 4 years older than John. Three years ago Mary was twice as old as John. How old is each now? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #168487 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=drj><B>drj(1380)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-12.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=drj><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=drj><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=168487\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Mary is 3 years older than her brother Tom, and Tom is 4 years older than John. Three years ago Mary was twice as old as John. How old is each now?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Step 1.  Let x be the age of John.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Step 2.  Let x+4 be the age of Tom since Tom is 4 years older than John\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Step 3.  Let x+4+3=x+7 be the age of Mary since she is 3 years old than Tom\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Step 4.  Let x+4+3-3=x+4 be the age of Mary three years ago\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Step 5.  Let x-3 be the age of John three years ago.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Step 6.  Then, x+4=2(x-3) since three years ago Mary was twice as old as John\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Step 7.  Solving equation in Step 6 yields the following steps\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2B4=2x-6 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2B4=2x-6\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Add 6-x to both sides to get numbers only on one side and the variable x on the other side.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2B4%2B6-x=2x-6%2B6-x ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2B4%2B6-x=2x-6%2B6-x\"   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=10=x ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"10=x\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >  John's age\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Then <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2B4=14 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2B4=14\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Tom's age and <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x%2B4%2B3=17 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x%2B4%2B3=17\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > Mary's age.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Check...if equation in Step 6 is true.  Three years ago Mary was 14 years old which is twice the age of John who was 7 years old which satisfies Step 6.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Step 8.  ANSWER:  John is 10 years old, Tom is 14 years old and Mary is 17 years old.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "I hope the above steps were helpful.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "For FREE Step-By-Step videos in Introduction to Algebra, please visit http://www.FreedomUniversity.TV/courses/IntroAlgebra and for Trigonometry visit http://www.FreedomUniversity.TV/courses/Trigonometry.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Good luck in your studies!\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Respectfully,<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Dr J\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
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