document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=120846>Question 120846</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> The sum of Jim's age and Mike's age is 52. Six years ago Mike was four times as old as Jim was. How old is Jim now?\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Could someone help me please? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #88648 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=solver91311><B>solver91311(24713)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=solver91311><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=solver91311><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=88648\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Let's say Jim's age now is J and Mike's age now is M.  Six years ago, Mike was then M - 6, and Jim was J - 6, but we know that <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=M-6=4%28J-6%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"M-6=4%28J-6%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.  We also know that <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=M%2BJ=52 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"M%2BJ=52\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=M%2BJ=52 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"M%2BJ=52\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > means that <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=M=52-J ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"M=52-J\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >.  We can substitute this information into the other equation:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=M-6=4%28J-6%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"M-6=4%28J-6%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%2852-J%29-6=4%28J-6%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%2852-J%29-6=4%28J-6%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Now all we have to do is simplify and solve:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=46-J=4J-24 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"46-J=4J-24\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-J-4J=-24-46 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-J-4J=-24-46\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-5J=-70 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-5J=-70\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=J=14 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"J=14\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "That answers the question, but we have to check our work:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=52-14=38 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"52-14=38\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, so Mike must be 38 now.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Six years ago, Mike was 32, and Jim was <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=14-6=8 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"14-6=8\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, and <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=4%2A8=32 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"4%2A8=32\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" >, answer checks.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "     </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );