document.write( "Question 506: First question:
\n" ); document.write( "Right now, Alan's mother is 4 times older than he is. In 4 years, she will be 3 times older than he is. How old are Alan and his mother right now?\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Second question:
\n" ); document.write( "Kim is using a list of his friends' ages. He adds two of his friends' ages and gets 17. He multiplies the ages and gets 72. How old are his two friends?\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "I would appreciate your help. Thanks.
\n" ); document.write( "-- Mary
\n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #173 by AnlytcPhil(1806)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
First question:
\n" ); document.write( "Right now, Alan's mother is 4 times older than he is. In
\n" ); document.write( "4 years, she will be 3 times older than he is. How old are
\n" ); document.write( "Alan and his mother right now?
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "Let Alan's age be X
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( ">>...Alan's mother is 4 times older than he is...<<
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "Mother's age = 4X
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( ">>...In 4 years,...<<
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "` (Alan's age in 4 years) = X+4
\n" ); document.write( "(Mother's age in 4 years) = 4X+4
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( ">>...In 4 years, she will be 3 times older than he is...<<
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "(Mother's age in 4 years) = 3 times (Allen's age in 4 years)
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `4X+4 = 3(X+4)
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "Can you solve that? Answer: X = 8, Mother's age = 4×8 = 32.
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "Check:
\n" ); document.write( ">>...Right now, Alan's mother is 4 times older than he is...<<
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "That's true because he is 8 and she is 4 times 8 or 32.
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( ">>...In 4 years, she will be 3 times older than he is...<<
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "That's true because he will be 12 and she will be 3 times
\n" ); document.write( "12 or 36.
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "-----------------------------------
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "Second question: Kim is using a list of his friends' ages.
\n" ); document.write( "He adds two of his friends' ages and gets 17. He multiplies
\n" ); document.write( "the ages and gets 72. How old are his two friends?
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "Let x be one friend's age and y be the other friend's age:
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( ">>...He adds two of his friends' ages and gets 17...<<
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "Translation:` x + y = 17
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( ">>...He multiplies the ages and gets 72...<<
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "Translation:` ` `xy = 72
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "You have this system to solve
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "` ` ` ` ` ` ` x + y = 17
\n" ); document.write( "` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` `xy = 72
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "Solve the first equation for y
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` y = 17-x
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "Substitute 17-x for y in the second equation:
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` xy = 72
\n" ); document.write( "` ` ` ` ` ` `x(17-x) = 72
\n" ); document.write( "` ` ` ` ` ` 17x - x² = 72
\n" ); document.write( "` ` ` -x² + 17x - 72 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "` ` ` `x² - 17x + 72 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "` ` ` (x - 9)(x - 8) = 0
\n" ); document.write( "` ` ` x - 9 = 0 or x = 9
\n" ); document.write( "` ` ` x - 8 = 0 or x = 8
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "`If x = 8, then y = 17-8 or 9
\n" ); document.write( "`If x = 9, then y = 17-9 or 8
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "`Either way, one of them is 8 and the other 9.
\n" ); document.write( "`
\n" ); document.write( "`Edwin
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" );