document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1172609>Question 1172609</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Cesar is 52 yrs younger than Melissa. 5 yrs ago, Melissas age was 3 times Cesars age. How old is Cesar? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #797709 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=797709\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Tutor @ikleyn is absolutely right to show a mental solution using logical reasoning.  You get far more benefit from solving the problem by USING YOUR BRAIN than by performing some rote algebraic process.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "However, if a formal algebraic solution is required....<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "We want to find Cesar's (current) age, so start by letting that be our variable, x.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Then Melissa's current age is 52 more than that: x+52.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "So 5 years ago, Cesar's age was x-5, and Melissa's age was (x+52)-5 = x+47.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Write and solve the equation that says that 5 years ago Melissa's age was 3 times Cesar's age:<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "x+47 = 3(x-5)<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Solve using basic algebra.<br><BR>\n" );
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