document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=550167>Question 550167</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Several of us at work have attempted this with no success!<BR>\n" );
document.write( "A father and son are aged 71 and 34 respectively, at what age was the father 3 times the age of his son and at what age will the son be half his fathers age? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #358488 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=TutorDelphia><B>TutorDelphia(193)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-09.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=TutorDelphia><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=TutorDelphia><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=358488\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Given in the problem:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "f=71<BR>\n" );
document.write( "s=34<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Let's have x be the number of years ago. So if it was x=10 years ago the father would be 61 and the son 24\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "3(s-x)=(f-x)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Plug in the father and son's ages<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3(34-x)=(71-x)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Distribute the 3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "102-3x=71-x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "+3x to both sides<BR>\n" );
document.write( "102=71+2x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-71 to both sides<BR>\n" );
document.write( "31=2x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x=15.5<BR>\n" );
document.write( "15 and a half years ago the son was 18.5 and the father was 55.5 . 55.5 is 3 times 18.5. The fact that it doesn't turn out evenly makes the problem a bit harder to figure out.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "For the other half we start with a similar equation. However, I'm going to use y and have it represent years from now because this hasn't happened yet. <BR>\n" );
document.write( "(1/2)(71+y)=(34+y)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Multiply everything by 2 to clear the fractions<BR>\n" );
document.write( "71+y=68+2y<BR>\n" );
document.write( "71=68=y<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3=y\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So in 3 years the son will be 37 and dad will be 74.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
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