document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1148599>Question 1148599</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Gary is X years old today. Two years ago, his grandfather was three times older than Gary at that time. A The age difference of Gary and his grandfather then was 48 years write a linear equation to represent this age difference. B find Gary's grandfather's age today </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #769954 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><B>greenestamps(13200)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><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=greenestamps><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=769954\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The solution by the other tutor is quite likely the expected answer.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "However, the wording of the question is probably incorrect.  With the correct interpretation of the given information, we get a different answer.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "In everyday use, \"3 times OLDER THAN\" is (carelessly) used to mean the same thing as \"3 times AS OLD AS\".  However, grammatically the two are different.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "\"3 times AS OLD AS x\" clearly means \"3x\".<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\"3 times OLDER THAN x\" means x, plus 3 more times x, which is 4x.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "So, with the grammatically correct interpretation of the given information, we have...<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = Gary's age now<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x-2 = Gary's age 2 years ago<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4(x-2) = his grandfather's age 2 years ago<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The difference in their ages (always, including 2 years ago) is 48 years:<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4%28x-2%29-%28x-2%29+=+48 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4%28x-2%29-%28x-2%29+=+48\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3%28x-2%29+=+48 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3%28x-2%29+=+48\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x-2+=+16 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x-2+=+16\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x+=+18 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x+=+18\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Gary is 18; his grandfather is 18+48 = 66.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );