document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1128046>Question 1128046</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The sum of the ages of husband & his wife is four times the sum of the agesof their children . four years ago , the ratio of sum of  their ages to the sum of their children was 18:1 . two years hence the ratio will be  3:1 .how many children do they have ? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #744554 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=ankor@dixie-net.com><B>ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=ankor@dixie-net.com><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=ankor@dixie-net.com><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=744554\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> let p = the sum of the parents ages now<BR>\n" );
document.write( "let s = the sum of the children's ages now<BR>\n" );
document.write( "let c = no. of children<BR>\n" );
document.write( ":<BR>\n" );
document.write( " The sum of the ages of husband & his wife is four times the sum of the ages of their children<BR>\n" );
document.write( "p = 4s<BR>\n" );
document.write( " Four years ago, the ratio of sum of their ages to the sum of their children was<BR>\n" );
document.write( " 18:1.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28p-8%29%2F%28s-4c%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28p-8%29%2F%28s-4c%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > = <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=18%2F1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"18%2F1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "cross multiply<BR>\n" );
document.write( "p - 8 = 18(s-4c)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "p - 8 = 18s - 72c<BR>\n" );
document.write( "replace p with 4s, from the first statement<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4s - 8 = 18s - 72c<BR>\n" );
document.write( "72c = 18s - 4s + 8<BR>\n" );
document.write( "72c = 14s + 8<BR>\n" );
document.write( "7<BR>\n" );
document.write( "  Two years hence the ratio will be 3:1.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28p%2B4%29%2F%28s+%2B+2c%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28p%2B4%29%2F%28s+%2B+2c%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > = <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3%2F1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3%2F1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Cross multiply<BR>\n" );
document.write( "p + 4 = 3(s + 2c)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "p + 4 = 3s + 6c<BR>\n" );
document.write( "replace p with 4s<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4s + 4 = 3s + 6c<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4s - 3s = 6c - 4<BR>\n" );
document.write( "s = 6c - 4<BR>\n" );
document.write( "In the 2nd simplified equation, replace s with (6c-4)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "72c = 14(6c-4) + 8<BR>\n" );
document.write( "72c = 84c - 56 + 8<BR>\n" );
document.write( "72c - 84c = -48<BR>\n" );
document.write( "-12c = -48<BR>\n" );
document.write( "c = -48/-12<BR>\n" );
document.write( "c = 4 children is what they have<BR>\n" );
document.write( ":<BR>\n" );
document.write( ":<BR>\n" );
document.write( "you can confirm this by finding p and s and checking the ratios with these values<BR>\n" );
document.write( "s = 6(4) - 4<BR>\n" );
document.write( "s = 20 is the sum of the children's ages<BR>\n" );
document.write( "and<BR>\n" );
document.write( "p = 4(20)<BR>\n" );
document.write( "p = 80 is sum of the parents<BR>\n" );
document.write( ":<BR>\n" );
document.write( "I'll let you confirm this. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );