document.write( "Question 473901: If a person is twice as old as his brother. 3 years ago the sum of their ages was 27. Find the age of the brothers. \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #325016 by algebrahouse.com(1659) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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\"If a person is twice as old as his brother. 3 years ago the sum of their ages was 27. Find the age of the brothers.\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "x = one brother
\n" ); document.write( "2x = other brother {twice as old as the other one}\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "x - 3 = one brother 3 years ago
\n" ); document.write( "2x - 3 = other brother 3 years ago\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "x - 3 + 2x - 3 = 27 {sum of ages 3 years ago was 27}
\n" ); document.write( "3x - 6 = 27 {combined like terms}
\n" ); document.write( "3x = 33 {added 6 to both sides}
\n" ); document.write( "x = 11 {divided both sides by 3}
\n" ); document.write( "2x = 22 {substituted 11, in for x, into 2x}\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Their ages are 11 and 22
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