document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=658829>Question 658829</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The sum of Patrick's age and John's age is 58.Eight years ago , Patrick was twice as old as John then. What is John's age ? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #410508 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Shana-D77><B>Shana-D77(132)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-09.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Shana-D77><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=Shana-D77><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=410508\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> If Patrick's age now is x and John's age now is y, then x + y = 58.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Eight years ago, Patrick's age was x - 8.  John's age was y - 8.  This is the trickiest part of the problem.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So, we have to build the second equation:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\"Eight years ago , Patrick was twice as old as John then.\":<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x - 8 = 2(y - 8)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x - 8 = 2y - 16 (distributed)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x - 2y = -8 (subtracted 2y from both sides and added 8 to both sides)<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "out two equations are:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x + y = 58<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x - 2y = -8<BR>\n" );
document.write( "----------------<BR>\n" );
document.write( "3y = 66 (used elimination by subtraction to \"get rid of\" the x)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y = 22<BR>\n" );
document.write( "So, John is 22 years old now and Patrick's age now is (58 - 22) or 36. </SPAN>\n" );
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