SOLUTION: Fred is 3 years more than twice as old as Jan. The sum of their ages is 48. How old is each? Using Systems of Substitution and Elimination.

Algebra ->  Equations -> SOLUTION: Fred is 3 years more than twice as old as Jan. The sum of their ages is 48. How old is each? Using Systems of Substitution and Elimination.       Log On


   

Question 1205732: Fred is 3 years more than twice as old as Jan. The sum of their ages is 48. How old is each?
Using Systems of Substitution and Elimination.
Found 3 solutions by MathLover1, josgarithmetic, ikleyn:
Answer by MathLover1(20849) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

let Fred’s age be+x and Jan’s age y
if Fred is 3+years more than twice as old as Jan, we have
x=2y%2B3.....eq.1
if the sum of their ages is 48, we have
x%2By=48....eq.2

system to solve is:
x=2y%2B3.....eq.1
x%2By=48....eq.2
------------------subtract eq.2 from eq.1 to eliminate variable x
x-x-y=2y%2B3-48
0-y=2y-45
45=3y
y=45%2F3
y=15

go to eq.1, substitute y
x=2%2A15%2B3.....eq.1
x+=33

How old is each?
Fred is 33+years old and Jan is 15 years old.

Answer by josgarithmetic(39616) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
j, Jan's age
2j+3, Fred's age

j%2B%282j%2B3%29=48
.
3j%2B3=48
3j=45
highlight%28j=15%29------and use this to evaluate Fred's age.

Answer by ikleyn(52776) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.

Similar to as a drop of nicotine can kill a horse,
wording of this post can kill a reader.


A normal English wording could be THIS 

    Fred's age is 3 years more than twice Jan's age.