document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1118700>Question 1118700</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Please solve this question<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Ben is 3 years older than his sister and a third of the age of his mother. His father is 4 years older than his mother and four times the age of his sister. How old is Ben ? ---------<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Regards </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #734097 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><B>Theo(13342)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><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=Theo><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=734097\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> b = ben's age.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "f = ben's father's age.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "m = ben's mother's age.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "s = ben's sister's age.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "ben is 3 years older than his sister leads to b = s + 3.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "ben is 1/3 the age of his mother leads to b = 1/3 * m.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "ben's father is 4 years old than his mother leads to f = m + 4.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "ben's father is 4 times the age of ben's sister leads to f = 4 * s.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "you have 4 equations that need to be solved simultaneously.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "they are:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "b = s + 3<BR>\n" );
document.write( "b = 1/3 * m<BR>\n" );
document.write( "f = m + 4<BR>\n" );
document.write( "f = 4 * s\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "from f = m + 4 and f = 4 * s, you get m + 4 = 4 * s.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "solve for m to get m = 4 * s - 4.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "from b = s + 3 and b = 1/3 * m, you get s + 3 = 1/3 * m.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "solve for m to get m = 3 * s + 9.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "from m = 4 * s - 4 and m = 3 * s + 9, you get 4 * s - 4 = 3 * s + 9.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "solve for s to get s = 13.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "from b = s + 3, replace s with 13 to get b = 13 + 3 which results in b = 16.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "from f = 4 * s, replace s with 13 to get f = 4 * 13 which results in f = 52.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "from f = m + 4, replace f with 52 and solve for m to get m = 48.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "you now have:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "s = 13<BR>\n" );
document.write( "b = 16<BR>\n" );
document.write( "f = 52<BR>\n" );
document.write( "m = 48\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "b = s + 3 becomes 16 = 13 + 3 which is true.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "b = 1/3 * m becomes 16 = 1/3 * 48 which is true.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "f = m + 4 becomes 52 = 48 + 4 which is true.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "f = 4 * s becomes 52 = 4 * 13 which is true.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "all statements are true, so the solution looks good.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "the solution is:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "ben's age is 16. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );