document.write( "Question 1150559: If you add Natalie's age and Fred's age, the result is 38. If you add Fred's age to 4 times Natalie's age, the result is 74. Write and solve a system of equations to find how old Fred and Natalie are. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #771919 by jim_thompson5910(35256)![]() ![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! \n" ); document.write( "N = Natalie's age \n" ); document.write( "F = Fred's age \n" ); document.write( "both ages are in years, and they are current present day ages\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"If you add Natalie's age and Fred's age, the result is 38.\" means the first equation is F+N = 38. \n" ); document.write( "Solve for F to get F = 38 - N. You subtract N from both sides. We'll use this equation later.\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"If you add Fred's age to 4 times Natalie's age, the result is 74.\" so the second equation is \n" ); document.write( "F + 4*N = 74\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now plug in F = 38 - N. Solve for N. \n" ); document.write( "F + 4*N = 74 \n" ); document.write( "38 - N + 4*N = 74 ... replaced F with 38-N \n" ); document.write( "38 + 3N = 74 \n" ); document.write( "38 + 3N-38 = 74-38 .... subtracting 38 from both sides \n" ); document.write( "3N = 36 \n" ); document.write( "3N/3 = 36/3 .... divide both sides by 3 \n" ); document.write( "N = 12\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Use this to find Fred's age \n" ); document.write( "F = 38 - N \n" ); document.write( "F = 38 - 12 ... plug in N = 12 \n" ); document.write( "F = 26\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "------------------------------------------------- \n" ); document.write( "To summarize, the system of equations is \n" ); document.write( "F + N = 38 \n" ); document.write( "F + 4N = 74\r \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Solving said system leads to N = 12 and F = 26. This means Natalie is 12 years old and Fred is 26 years old. \r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |