document.write( "Question 720762: Alice, Brent, and Celeste are cousins. The sum of their age is 76. The sum of the ages of Alice and Celeste is one more year than Brent's age. Celeste is 7 1/2 years younger than Alice. What are the ages of Alice, Brent, and Celeste? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #441972 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)\"\" \"About 
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Alice, Brent, and Celeste are cousins. The sum of their age is 76.
\n" ); document.write( "a + b + c = 76
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( " The sum of the ages of Alice and Celeste is one more year than Brent's age.
\n" ); document.write( "a + c = b + 1
\n" ); document.write( "a - b + c = 1
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( " Celeste is 7 1/2 years younger than Alice.
\n" ); document.write( "c = a - 7.5\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "What are the ages of Alice, Brent, and Celeste?
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Use elimination with the 1st and 2nd equations
\n" ); document.write( "a + b + c = 76
\n" ); document.write( "a - b + c = 1
\n" ); document.write( "---------------Subtraction eliminates a and c find b
\n" ); document.write( "0 +2b + 0 = 75
\n" ); document.write( "b = 75/2
\n" ); document.write( "b = 37.5 yrs
\n" ); document.write( "therefore
\n" ); document.write( "a + c = 76 - 37.5
\n" ); document.write( "a + c = 38.5
\n" ); document.write( "replace c with (a-7.5)
\n" ); document.write( "a + a - 7.5 = 38.5
\n" ); document.write( "2a = 38.5 + 7.5
\n" ); document.write( "2a = 46
\n" ); document.write( "a = 46/2
\n" ); document.write( "a = 23 yrs
\n" ); document.write( "then
\n" ); document.write( "c = 23 - 7.5
\n" ); document.write( "c = 15.5 yrs
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "see if that checks out
\n" ); document.write( "23 + 37.5 + 15.5 = 76
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