document.write( "Question 271038: Fred is 4 years older than barney, five years ago the sum of their age was 48, how old are they now, please use F for fred and B for barney, thank you \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #198455 by josmiceli(19441)\"\" \"About 
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\"f\" = Fred's age now
\n" ); document.write( "\"b\" = Barney's age now
\n" ); document.write( "\"f+-+5\" = Fred's age 5 years ago
\n" ); document.write( "\"b+-+5\" = Barney's age 5 years ago
\n" ); document.write( "given:
\n" ); document.write( "(1) \"f+=+b+%2B+4\"
\n" ); document.write( "(2) \"%28f+-+5%29+%2B+%28b+-+5%29+=+48\"
\n" ); document.write( "----------------------------
\n" ); document.write( "Substitute (1) in (2)
\n" ); document.write( "(2) \"%28b+%2B+4+-+5%29+%2B+%28b+-+5%29+=+48\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"b+%2B+b+-+6+=+48\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"2b+=+54\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"b+=+27\"
\n" ); document.write( "from (1),
\n" ); document.write( "\"f+=+b+%2B+4\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"f+=+27+%2B+4\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"f+=+31\"
\n" ); document.write( "barney is 27 and Fred is 31
\n" ); document.write( "check:
\n" ); document.write( "(2) \"%28f+-+5%29+%2B+%28b+-+5%29+=+48\"
\n" ); document.write( "(2) \"31+-+5+%2B+27+-+5+=+48\"
\n" ); document.write( "(2) \"26+%2B+22+=+48\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"48+=+48\"
\n" ); document.write( "OK
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" );