document.write( "Question 1172609: Cesar is 52 yrs younger than Melissa. 5 yrs ago, Melissas age was 3 times Cesars age. How old is Cesar? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #797719 by Theo(13342)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
c = cesar's age.
\n" ); document.write( "m = melissa's age.
\n" ); document.write( "cesar is 52 years younger than melissa.
\n" ); document.write( "equation for that is c = m - 52
\n" ); document.write( "5 years ago, melissa was 3 times as old as cesar.
\n" ); document.write( "equation for that is m - 5 = 3 * (c - 5)
\n" ); document.write( "simplify that equation to get m - 5 = 3 * c - 15
\n" ); document.write( "you have two equations that need to be solved simultaneously.
\n" ); document.write( "they are:
\n" ); document.write( "c = m - 52
\n" ); document.write( "m - 5 = 3 * c - 15
\n" ); document.write( "rearrange the equations so that the variables are on the left and the constant terms are on the right.
\n" ); document.write( "you will get:
\n" ); document.write( "m - c = 52
\n" ); document.write( "m - 3c = -10
\n" ); document.write( "subtract the second equation from the first to get:
\n" ); document.write( "2c = 62
\n" ); document.write( "solve for c to get c = 31
\n" ); document.write( "in the equation of c = m - 52, replace c with 31 to get:
\n" ); document.write( "31 = m - 52
\n" ); document.write( "add 52 to both sides of this equation to get:
\n" ); document.write( "83 = m
\n" ); document.write( "you have:
\n" ); document.write( "c = 31
\n" ); document.write( "m = 83
\n" ); document.write( "your first original equation is satisfied because m - c = 52 becomes 83 - 31 = 52 which becomes 52 = 52 which is true.
\n" ); document.write( "your second original equation is satisfied because m - 5 = 3 * (c - 5) becomes 83 - 5 = 3 * (31 - 5) which becomes 78 = 3 * 26 which becomes 78 = 78 which is true.
\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "
\n" );