document.write( "Question 1194619: Dan’s mother is 55 years old. If three years ago. The difference of their ages is two less than dan’s dage was, how old is dan now? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #826871 by greenestamps(13200)\"\" \"About 
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\n" ); document.write( "The solution from the other tutor starts by letting Dan's age be x, because that is what the problem asks you to find.

\n" ); document.write( "That is of course a valid way to set up the problem.... But it leads to unnecessarily awkward equations, which are difficult for a beginning student to form from the given information.

\n" ); document.write( "Here is a different start which leads to a much simpler solution.

\n" ); document.write( "Let x = Dan's age 3 years ago

\n" ); document.write( "Then x-2 = the difference in their ages (the difference in their ages is 2 less than Dan's age 3 years ago)

\n" ); document.write( "So x+(x-2)=2x-2 = Dan's mother's age 3 years ago

\n" ); document.write( "So then Dan's mother's age now is (2x-2)+3 = 2x+1

\n" ); document.write( "His mother is now 55: 2x+1=55; 2x=54; x=27. Dan's age 3 years ago was x=27.

\n" ); document.write( "So Dan's age now is 27+3 = 30.

\n" ); document.write( "ANSWER: Dan is 30

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