document.write( "Question 834127: Pete, Mike and John are cousins. Pete's age is one-third of Mike's age and John's age is five years older than Mike's. If the sum of the ages of the cousins is 40, what are their ages? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #502850 by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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Write an equation for each statement
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Pete, Mike and John are cousins.
\n" ); document.write( " Pete's age is one-third of Mike's age
\n" ); document.write( "p = $\"1%2F3\"$ *m
\n" ); document.write( " and John's age is five years older than Mike's.
\n" ); document.write( "j = m+5
\n" ); document.write( " If the sum of the ages of the cousins is 40,
\n" ); document.write( "p + m + j = 40
\n" ); document.write( "Replace p and j from the 1st and 2nd equations, find m
\n" ); document.write( " $\"1%2F3\"$ m + m + (m+5) = 40
\n" ); document.write( " $\"1%2F3\"$ m + 2m = 40 - 5
\n" ); document.write( " $\"1%2F3\"$ m + 2m = 35
\n" ); document.write( "multiply by 3 to get rid of the fraction
\n" ); document.write( " m + 6m = 105
\n" ); document.write( " 7m = 105
\n" ); document.write( "m = 105/7
\n" ); document.write( "m = 15 is Mikes age
\n" ); document.write( "then
\n" ); document.write( "p = $\"1%2F3\"$ *15
\n" ); document.write( "p = 5 is Pete's age
\n" ); document.write( "and
\n" ); document.write( "j = 15 + 5
\n" ); document.write( "j = 20 is John's
\n" ); document.write( ":
\n" ); document.write( "Note that the three ages do indeed, add up to 40
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