document.write( "Question 1195804: Paul is now 24 years old and his cousin Mon is 16 years old. How many years ago was paul thrice as old as Mon? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #828354 by greenestamps(13200)\"\" \"About 
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\n" ); document.write( "(1) informally....

\n" ); document.write( "The difference in their ages is 24-16 = 8 years. So when Paul was 3 times as old as Mon, their ages were 4 and 12. That was 24-12 = 12 years ago.

\n" ); document.write( "ANSWER: 12 years

\n" ); document.write( "(2) algebraically (setting up the problem differently than the other tutor)....

\n" ); document.write( "x = Mon's age when Paul was 3 times as old
\n" ); document.write( "3x = Paul's age then

\n" ); document.write( "The difference in their ages then was 3x-x = 2x.

\n" ); document.write( "But the difference in their ages is 8 years:
\n" ); document.write( "2x = 8
\n" ); document.write( "x = 4

\n" ); document.write( "Mon was 4 years old when Paul was 3 times as old; that was 16-4 = 12 years ago.

\n" ); document.write( "ANSWER: 12 years

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