SOLUTION: I know a priest who is 44 years old. Sometime ago, he was twice as old as I. In the following year he was one and a half times older than I. How old am I now?

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Question 697072: I know a priest who is 44 years old. Sometime ago, he was twice as old as I. In the following year he was one and a half times older than I.
How old am I now?

Found 2 solutions by ankor@dixie-net.com, josmiceli:
Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
I know a priest who is 44 years old.
Sometime ago, he was twice as old as I.
In the following year he was one and a half times older than I.
How old am I now?
:
We can approach this with this relationship:
let p = priest's age some time ago
let a = your age some time ago
Find the age in which p is twice a, and one year later p is 1.5a
:
2a = p
and one year later
1.5(a+1) = p + 1
1.5a + 1.5 = p + 1
1.5a = p + 1 - 1.5
1.5a = p - .5
replace p with 2a
1.5a = 2a - .5
1.5a - 2a = -.5
-.5a = -.5
a = 1 year old some time ago
and
p = 2 yrs old some time ago
then one year later:
a = 2, then p = 3, we know that 1.5(2) = 3
there is only one year difference, therefore when the priest is 44 you are 43



Answer by josmiceli(19441) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let +x+ = my age now
Let +y+ = the number of years ago he was
twice my age
(1) +%2844+-+y%29+=++2%2A%28+x-y+%29+%0D%0AThe+following+year+was+%7B%7B%7B+y-1+ years ago
(2) +%28+44+-+%28+y-1+%29%29+=+%283%2F2%29%2A+%28+x+-+%28+y-1+%29+%29+
---------------
This is 2 equations and 2 unknowns,
so it's solvable.
(1) +44+-+y+=+2x+-+2y+
(1) +2x+-+y+=+44+
and
(2) +%28+44+-+%28+y-1+%29%29+=+%283%2F2%29%2A+%28+x+-+%28+y-1+%29+%29+
(2) +2%2A%28+44+-+y+%2B+1+%29+=+3%2A%28+x+-+y++%2B+1+%29+
(2) +88+-+2y+%2B+2+=+3x+-+3y+%2B+3+
(2) +3x+-+y+=+87+
Subtract (1) from (2)
(2) +3x+-+y+=+87+
(1) +-2x+%2B+y+=+-44+
+x+=+43+
and, since
(1) +2x+-+y+=+44+
(1) +2%2A43+-+y+=+44+
(1) +y+=+86+-+44+
(1) +y+=+42+
--------------
I am 43 now
check answer:
The priest is 44
42 years ago he was twice my age
He was 2 yr old and I was 1 yr old
The next year he was 3 and
I was 2
OK