document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=132308>Question 132308</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> A girl is now one-fourth as old as her father, and in seven years she will be one-half as old as her father was twelve years ago. Find their present ages. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #96688 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=nycsharkman><B>nycsharkman(136)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-09.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=nycsharkman><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/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=96688\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> A girl is now one-fourth as old as her father, and in seven years she will be one-half as old as her father was twelve years ago. Find their present ages.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "girl's present age = 1/4 times x = x/4\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "father's present age = x\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "girl's age 7 years from now = x/4 + 7\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "The statement \"...one-half as old as her father was twelve years ago\" is written 1/2(x - 12).\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "We now have this equation:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "x/4 + 7 = 1/2(x -12)\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Before solving for x, we need to remove the fractions.  To do so, multiply both sides of the equation by the LCD, which in this case happens to be 4.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "x/4 times 4 = x\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "7 times 4 = 28\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "On the left side, we apply the distributive rule to remove the parentheses.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "1/2(x - 12) becomes x/2 - 6\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Continue to multiply by the LCD 4.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "x/2 times 4 = 2x\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "-6 times 4 = -24\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "We now have a linear equation and it is:\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "x + 28 = 2x - 24\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Solve for x.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "x - 2x = -28 - 24\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "-x = -52\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "x = -52/-1\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "x = 52\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Father's age now = 52 years old.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "girl's age now = x/4, right?\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Replace x with 52 and divide by 4.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "52/4 = 13\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "girl's age now is 13 and her father is 52.\r<BR>\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Is this clear?<BR>\n" );
document.write( " </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</TD></TR></TABLE>\n" );