document.write( "Question 1106863: patrick is 5 years older than his nephew. In 2 years he will be 1.5 times older than his nephew. How old is each now? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #721904 by greenestamps(13203) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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\n" ); document.write( "There is no solution in whole numbers, because the problem is stated incorrectly.

\n" ); document.write( "\"1.5 times older than...\" means as old as, and then 1.5 more times as old as -- i.e., 2.5 times AS OLD AS. With that correct grammatical interpretation, the problem can't be solved.

\n" ); document.write( "The correct statement of the problem is this:

\n" ); document.write( "Patrick is 5 years older than his nephew. In 2 years he will be 1.5 times AS OLD AS his nephew. How old is each now?

\n" ); document.write( "With that statement of the problem, we have
\n" ); document.write( "(1) $\"P+=+N%2B5\"$ Patrick is 5 years older than his nephew
\n" ); document.write( "(2) $\"P%2B2+=+1.5%28N%2B2%29\"$ Patrick's age in 2 years will be 1.5 times his nephew's age in 2 years

\n" ); document.write( "With the equations in this form, substitution seems appropriate:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"%28N%2B5%29%2B2+=+1.5%28N%2B2%29\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"N%2B7+=+1.5N%2B3\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"4+=+.5N\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"8+=+N\"$

\n" ); document.write( "Patrick's nephew is 8; Patrick is 13.
\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "

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