SOLUTION: Meg is 6 years younger than Nelson. Nelson will be 20% older than Meg in 16 years. How old will each of them be in 10 years from today?

Algebra ->  Customizable Word Problem Solvers  -> Age -> SOLUTION: Meg is 6 years younger than Nelson. Nelson will be 20% older than Meg in 16 years. How old will each of them be in 10 years from today?      Log On

Ad: Over 600 Algebra Word Problems at edhelper.com


    

Question 1195909: Meg is 6 years younger than Nelson. Nelson will be 20% older than Meg in 16 years. How old will each of them be in 10 years from today?
Found 2 solutions by josgarithmetic, greenestamps:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39616) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Meg is 6 years younger than Nelson. Nelson will be 20% older than Meg in 16 years.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Currently N-M=6


Sixteen years in the future, Nelson N%2B16, and Meg M%2B16;
At that time, Nelson "20% older than Meg"?
N%2B16=%28M%2B16%29%2B%281%2F5%29%28M%2B16%29
5%28N%2B16%29=5%28M%2B16%29%2B%28M%2B16%29
5%28N%2B16%29=6%28M%2B16%29

You could work with the two equations system%28N-M=6%2C5%28N%2B16%29=6%28M%2B16%29%29....

5%28M%2B6%2B16%29=6%28M%2B16%29
5M%2B5%2A22=6M%2B6%2A16
5M%2B110=6M%2B96
110-96=M
M=14-------------------Meg TODAY...
N=20------------------Nelson TODAY.

Answer by greenestamps(13198) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


The other tutor showed a typical formal algebraic solution, using a standard method for setting up the problem. Here is a very different approach.

The difference in their ages is now, and will always be, 6 years.

When Nelson is 20% older than Meg, that "20% older" will be "6 years older".

So if x is Meg's age when Nelson is 20% older, then

.20(x) = 6
x = 6/.20 = 30

So when Meg is 30, Nelson will be 36. (6 years older than 30 is 36; and 20% older than 30 is 30+6=36.)

That will happen 16 years from now, so their ages now are 14 and 20.

And so 10 years from now their ages will be 24 and 30.

ANSWERS: Meg 24, Nelson 30.