document.write( "Question 573595: hans is 3 years younger than his brother emil. in 8 years the sum of their ages will be 61. how old is hans \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #368817 by mathsmiles(68)\"\" \"About 
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We need 2 variables, one for Hans (H) age and one for his brother Emil (E) age.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "H = E-3. Hans is 3 yrs younger than Emil.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "In 8 years, Hans will be H+8 and Emil will be E+8.
\n" ); document.write( "At that time, the sum of their ages will be 61.
\n" ); document.write( "(H+8) + (E+8) = 61\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now substitute (E-3) from above for H in the above equation:
\n" ); document.write( "((E-3)+8) + (E+8) = 61
\n" ); document.write( "Since this is all addition, we can remove the parens without any harm.
\n" ); document.write( "E - 3 + 8 + E + 8 = 61\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Using the commutative law, let's re-order the terms:
\n" ); document.write( "E + E - 3 + 8 + 8 = 61
\n" ); document.write( "2E + 13 = 61
\n" ); document.write( "Subtracting 13 from both sides:
\n" ); document.write( "2E = 48
\n" ); document.write( "Dividing by 2 on both sides:
\n" ); document.write( "E = 24\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Emil is 24; his brother is 3 years younger, so is 21.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Let's check out answer:
\n" ); document.write( "In 8 years, Emil will be 24 + 8 = 32; Hans will be 21 + 8 = 29
\n" ); document.write( "Adding their ages gives
\n" ); document.write( "32 + 29 = 61
\n" ); document.write( "61 = 61 Correct!
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