document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1173031>Question 1173031</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Five years ago Barbra was four-fifths Bill's age then. In ten years she will be<BR>\n" );
document.write( "seven-eights his age then. <BR>\n" );
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document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #798224 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=798224\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The responses from the other tutors use what is probably the algebraic method typically seen in textbooks to find the answer.  Here is an alternative that I find makes finding the answer easier.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Given that 5 years ago Barbra was 4/5 of Bill's age, let their ages 5 years ago be 4x and 5x.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "\"10 years from now\" is 15 years after \"5 years ago\"; so their ages 10 years from now will be 4x+15 and 5x+15.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "The ratio of their ages then will be 7/8:<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%284x%2B15%29%2F%285x%2B15%29+=+7%2F8 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%284x%2B15%29%2F%285x%2B15%29+=+7%2F8\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=8%284x%2B15%29+=+7%285x%2B15%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"8%284x%2B15%29+=+7%285x%2B15%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=32x%2B120+=+35x%2B105 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"32x%2B120+=+35x%2B105\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3x=15 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3x=15\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Their ages 5 years ago were:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Barbra: 4x = 20<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Bill: 5x = 25<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "So their current ages are 25 and 30.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Their ages 10 years from now will be 35 and 40 -- a ratio of 7:8.<br><BR>\n" );
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