document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=636714>Question 636714</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Please help me solve this problem: Maria is 18 years old. She is twice as old as Anna was when she was as old as Anna now. How old is Anna now? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #401206 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=ptaylor><B>ptaylor(2198)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=ptaylor><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=ptaylor><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=401206\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Maria is 18 years old now<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Let x=Anna's age now<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Let y=number of years that have passed since Maria was x years old<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Sooo<BR>\n" );
document.write( "18-y=x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x+y=18---eq1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Then when Maria was x years old , Anna was x-y years old<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Sooo<BR>\n" );
document.write( "18=2(x-y)=2x-2y or<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x-y=9----eq2\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Add eq1 and eq2 and we get:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2x=27<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x=13.5 Anna's age now<BR>\n" );
document.write( "substitute 13.5 into eq1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y=18-13.5=4.5 number of years that have passed since Maria was 13.5 years old. So, when Maria was 13.5, Anna was 13.5-4.5=9<BR>\n" );
document.write( "18=2*9\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Hope this helps---ptaylor<BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );