document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1013490>Question 1013490</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The three Smith children have a combined age of 50. The youngest is half as old as the oldest. Ten years ago, the oldest was 7 times as the youngest. How old were the children ten years ago? (3 answers)\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 #629775 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=fractalier><B>fractalier(6550)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=fractalier><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=fractalier><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=629775\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Let the youngest child be x.  The next kids are y and z.  We have<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x + y + z = 50<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = (1/2)z  or z = 2x<BR>\n" );
document.write( "z-10 = 7(x-10)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Substituting we have<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2x - 10 = 7(x - 10)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "2x - 10 = 7x - 70<BR>\n" );
document.write( "5x = 60<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = 12 (youngest)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "z = 2(12) = 24 (oldest)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "y = 50 - 12 - 24 = 14 (middle) </SPAN>\n" );
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