document.write( "Question 1096899: Combined Steve, Matthew and Anthony's age sum to seventy-one. In three years, Anthony will be twice as old as Matthew. When Matthew is half Anthony's age, Steve will be five. I tried to work it out and put Steve at age two rather than five because of the three years. Which would make Matthew thirty-three and Anthony sixty-six which doesn't add to seventy-one. Any help or explanation is very appreciated! Thanks! \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #711300 by josgarithmetic(39620)\"\" \"About 
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\n" ); document.write( "Combined Steve, Matthew and Anthony's age sum to seventy-one. In three years, Anthony will be twice as old as Matthew. When Matthew is half Anthony's age, Steve will be five. I tried to work it out and put ...
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "s, Steve
\n" ); document.write( "m, Matthew
\n" ); document.write( "a, Anthony
\n" ); document.write( "x, unknown amount of time passage in years\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "If you write a system of equations literally following the description, this can be that system, four equations in four variables.
\n" ); document.write( "\"system%28s%2Bm%2Ba=71%2Ca%2B3=2%28m%2B3%29%2Cm%2Bx=%28a%2Bx%29%2F2%2Cs%2Bx=5%29\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "-
\n" ); document.write( "\"a%2B3=2m%2B6\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"a-2m=3\"
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\n" ); document.write( "\"2m%2B2x=a%2Bx\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"2m%2Bx=a\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"2m-a=-x\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"a-2m=x\"
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\n" ); document.write( "\"s%2Bx=5\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"x=5-s\"\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "A somewhat simplified system:
\n" ); document.write( "\"system%28s%2Bm%2Ba=71%2Ca-2m=3%2Ca-2m=x%2Cx=5-s%29\"
\n" ); document.write( "which seems to indicate that \"highlight_green%28x=3%29\", according to second and third equations. \r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "... if no mistakes so far, everything else should fall into place.\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Notice this part of the description:
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\n" ); document.write( "In three years, Anthony will be twice as old as Matthew. When Matthew is half Anthony's age, Steve will be five.
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "You may not need four equations in four unknowns - just three...
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