document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1205551>Question 1205551</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Hi<BR>\n" );
document.write( "5 years ago David was twice as old as Laura. Next year Laura will be 3/5 the age of David. How old are each of them.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Thanks </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #842439 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=greenestamps><B>greenestamps(13216)</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=842439\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "There are always many different ways to set up a problem for solving using formal algebra.  You should always be comfortable with trying different ways, to find a way for which the effort required to solve the problem is as little as possible.<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Often, if part of the given information is that one number is n times another, an easy path to the solution is by starting with that information.  Try that on this problem....<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Let x = Laura's age 5 years ago<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Then 2x = David's age 5 years ago<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "\"Next year\" is 6 years after \"5 years ago\", so their ages next year will be x+6 and 2x+6.  Laura's age will be 3/5 of David's age then:<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28x%2B6%29%2F%282x%2B6%29=3%2F5 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28x%2B6%29%2F%282x%2B6%29=3%2F5\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3%282x%2B6%29=5%28x%2B6%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3%282x%2B6%29=5%28x%2B6%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=6x%2B18=5x%2B30 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"6x%2B18=5x%2B30\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=x=12 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"x=12\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "ANSWERS: Their current ages are<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Laura = x+5 = 12+5 = 17<BR>\n" );
document.write( "David = 2x+5 = 2(12)+5 = 24+5 = 29<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "----------------------------------------------------------<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "Language note....<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "\"each\" refers to a single thing -- in this case a single person.  So<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "\"How old are they?\"<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "or<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "\"How old is each of them?\"<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "but not<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( "\"How old are each of them?\"<br><BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
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