document.write( "Question 576434: I am desperately trying to help my niece with homework while her parents are out of town. I am not a math guru. Here is the word problem:\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Joe is 2 years older than his brother. The sum of their ages is 12. How old is his brother?\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "She knows the answers are ages 5 and 7 (5+7=12) but I do not know how to help her figure out the mathematical equation.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Can you PLEASE HELP???? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #369856 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let j = Joe's age
\n" ); document.write( "Let b = his brother's age
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\n" ); document.write( "Write an equation for each statement
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\n" ); document.write( "\"Joe is 2 years older than his brother.\"
\n" ); document.write( "j = b + 2
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\n" ); document.write( "\"The sum of their ages is 12.\"
\n" ); document.write( "j + b = 12
\n" ); document.write( "In first equation we know that j = (b+2), replace j with (b+2) in the above equation
\n" ); document.write( "(b+2) + b = 12
\n" ); document.write( "add the b's
\n" ); document.write( "2b + 2 = 12
\n" ); document.write( "subtract 2 from both sides
\n" ); document.write( "2b = 12 - 2
\n" ); document.write( "2b = 10
\n" ); document.write( "Divide both sides by 2
\n" ); document.write( "b= 10/2
\n" ); document.write( "b = 5 yrs is brothers age.
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\n" ); document.write( "Use the 1st equation to find Joes age
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\n" ); document.write( "Check your solutions in the 2nd equatiion\r
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