document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=869966>Question 869966</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Sandra is 36 years old. her son is 14 years old. how many years ago was Sandra 3 times older than her son?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #524597 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><B>jim_thompson5910(35256)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=jim_thompson5910><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/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=524597\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Let x = the number of years\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "If we subtract x from each age, we get\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Sandra's age x yrs ago: 36 - x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Son's age x yrs ago:  14 - x\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "We want to know when she was 3 times older, so \r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "(Sandra's age x years ago) = 3*(Son's age x yrs ago)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "36 - x = 3*(14 - x)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Now we solve for x\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "36 - x = 3*(14 - x)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "36 - x = 3*(14) + 3*(-x)\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "36 - x = 42 - 3x\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "36 = 42 - 3x + x\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "36 - 42 = -3x + x\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "-6 = -2x\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "-6/(-2) = x\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "3 = x\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x = 3\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "So <font color=\"red\">3 years ago</font>, Sandra was 3 times older than her son (sandra = 33 years, son = 11 years) </SPAN>\n" );
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