SOLUTION: the sum of the ages of three sisters is 64. the age of the oldest is twice the age of the youngest. the ages of the two older sisters is a difference of six years. what is the age

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Question 1123818: the sum of the ages of three sisters is 64. the age of the oldest is twice the age of the youngest. the ages of the two older sisters is a difference of six years. what is the age of the youngest sister?

Found 3 solutions by josgarithmetic, ikleyn, MathTherapy:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39618) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
oldest        2y
middle         x
youngest       y
total         64

system%282y-x=6%2C2y%2Bx%2By=64%29

x=2y-6
-
3y%2Bx=64
3y%2B%282y-6%29=64
5y-6=64
5y=70
y=70%2F5
highlight%28y=14%29

Answer by ikleyn(52788) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
Let x be the age (in years) of the youngest sister.


Then the oldest sister is 2x years old and the middle age sister is  (2x-6) years old.


The sum is  x + 2x + (2x-6), and it is 64.


Your equation is


x + 2x + (2x-6) = 64,

5x = 64 + 6 = 70

x = 70/5 = 14.


Answer.  The youngest sister is 14 years old;  the oldest is  2*14 = 28 years;  the middle age sister is 28-6 = 22 years old.


Check.   14 + 28 + 22 = 64.    ! Correct !

Solved.


================

The lesson to learn from my solution is THIS :

     This problem is to be sold using one unknown and one equation.


Answer by MathTherapy(10552) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

the sum of the ages of three sisters is 64. the age of the oldest is twice the age of the youngest. the ages of the two older sisters is a difference of six years. what is the age of the youngest sister?
Let the youngest’s age be Y
Then oldest’s is 2Y
Also, middle sister’s is: 2Y - 6
We then get: Y + 2Y + 2Y – 6 = 64
5Y = 70
Y, or youngest is: highlight_green%28matrix%281%2C4%2C+70%2F5%2C+%22=%22%2C+14%2C+years-old%29%29