document.write( "Question 240350: A man has 5 sons. Each son is 3 times older than the next younger. The oldest will be 3 times older than the next to younger in 3 years. How old is each son? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #176142 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)\"\" \"About 
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A man has 5 sons. Each son is 3 times older than the next younger. The oldest will be 3 times older than the next to younger in 3 years. How old is each son?
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\n" ); document.write( "Sons, a, b, c, d, e; (a is the oldest)
\n" ); document.write( "a = 3b
\n" ); document.write( "b = 3c
\n" ); document.write( "c = 3d
\n" ); document.write( "d = 3e
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "\"The oldest will be 3 times older than the next to younger in 3 years.\"
\n" ); document.write( "Assume the next to younger is c
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "a + 3 = 3(c + 3)
\n" ); document.write( "a + 3 = 3c + 9
\n" ); document.write( "a = 3c + 9 - 3
\n" ); document.write( "a = 3c + 6
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "b = 3c and a = 3b, therefore
\n" ); document.write( "a = 3(3c)
\n" ); document.write( "a = 9c
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Replace a with 9c
\n" ); document.write( "9c = 3c + 6
\n" ); document.write( "9c - 3c = 6
\n" ); document.write( "6c = 6
\n" ); document.write( "c = 1 yr old
\n" ); document.write( "then
\n" ); document.write( "a = 9(1)
\n" ); document.write( "a = 9 yrs old
\n" ); document.write( "and
\n" ); document.write( "b = 3(1)
\n" ); document.write( "b = 3 yrs old
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "This leaves d and e younger than 1, does make sense, does it? \n" ); document.write( "
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