document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1180346>Question 1180346</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Will someone please help me with this problem?<BR>\n" );
document.write( "A tree that is 8 feet tall is growing at a rate of 2 feet each year. Another tree that is 10 feet tall is growing at a rate of 1 foot each year. Determine how many years it will take for the two trees to reach the same height. \r<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 #809977 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=809977\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Ignore the absurd answer from the other tutor.  She blindly used formal mathematics incorrectly to get the wrong answer to a problem that a 3rd grader could answer correctly in a few seconds using informal methods.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "3rd grader solution method....<BR>\n" );
document.write( "now: tree A 8, tree B 10<BR>\n" );
document.write( "in 1 year: tree A 8+2=10, tree B 10+1=11<BR>\n" );
document.write( "in 2 years: tree A 10+2=12, tree B 11+1=12<BR>\n" );
document.write( "ANSWER: 2 years<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Formal algebra....<BR>\n" );
document.write( "tree A height after n years: 8+2n<BR>\n" );
document.write( "tree B height after n years: 10+1n<BR>\n" );
document.write( "8+2n=10+n<BR>\n" );
document.write( "n=2<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "8th-9th grader informal method....<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Tree A starts out 2 feet shorter than tree B but each year grows 1 foot more than tree B; the time needed to make up those 2 feet at 1 foot per year is 2 years.<br><BR>\n" );
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