SOLUTION: Susan is 3 inches taller than her mom. Susan's sister is 2 1/3 feet shorter than her and 8/13 the height of her mother. How tall is Susan's mom?

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Question 1121728: Susan is 3 inches taller than her mom. Susan's sister is 2 1/3 feet
shorter than her and 8/13 the height of her mother. How tall is
Susan's mom?
Found 3 solutions by josgarithmetic, MathTherapy, ikleyn:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Who is "her"? Susan?

PERSON HEIGHT(in feet) Susan Mom Sister

The variable is was assigned to Mother. Solve for x and evaluate x+3.

Answer by MathTherapy(10552)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Susan is 3 inches taller than her mom. Susan's sister is 2 1/3 feet
shorter than her and 8/13 the height of her mother. How tall is
Susan's mom?

Mom's height:
You'll NEVER get this answer if you try to solve the equation the other person gave you to solve. NEVER, in a million years!
That equation is:

Answer by ikleyn(52781)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.

To solve the problem, you must have all dimensions in uniform / consistent units.

In this case, inches are preferred units.

Also, you need to know that 1 foot = 12 inches.

Let x be the mother height, in inches. Then Susan's height is (x+3) inches. Susan' sister is feet shorter than Susan. feet = inches = 24 + 4 inches = 28 inches. Hence, as the condition states, the Susan's sister is 28 inches shorter than Susan. In other words, Susan's sister height is ((x+3) - 28) = (x-25) inches. The equation, from the condition, is x - 25 = (8/13)*x. ============> 13x - 13*25 = 8x ====> 13x - 8x = 13*25 ====> 5x = 13*25 ====> x = 13*5 = 65 inches = 5 ft and 5 inches. Answer. The mother's height is 5 ft and 5 inches.

Solved.