document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=5428>Question 5428</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> In 7 years Deac will be twice as old as Irina.  Four years ago he was three times as old as Irina was then.  How old are each of them now?\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "I can not figure out how to set up the equations!  The book says the answers are:  Deac is 37 and Irina is 15.  I do not come up with those ages.  I have been using: x = Deac, y = Irina  x + 7 = 2y and x - 4 = 3y.  Help!  What am I doing wrong?  Thank you - Janette </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #2787 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=rapaljer><B>rapaljer(4671)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=rapaljer><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=rapaljer><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=2787\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> You are correct in your setup, except for one point--you forgot that Irina's age is changing as well as Deac's age.   \r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "x= Deac's age now<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y= Irina's age now\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "x+7= 2(y+7)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x-4= 3(y-4)\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "I recommend that you solve for x in both of the above equations, and set them equal to each other in order to solve for y.  I get y= 15, which seems correct.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "R^2 at SCC<BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );