SOLUTION: Mary is 5 years older than Bob. Three years ago the sum of their ages was 17. How old is each now?

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Question 176210: Mary is 5 years older than Bob. Three years ago the sum of their ages was 17. How old is each now?
Answer by EMStelley(208) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Call Bob's age b. Then Mary is b+5 years old. Three years ago, Bob was b-3 years old and Mary was (b+5)-3 years old. So we can write the equation
b-3%2B%28b%2B5%29-3=17
b-3%2Bb%2B5-3=17
2b-1=17
2b=18
b=9
So Bob is 9 and Mary is 14.