SOLUTION: sam is 18 and bill is 24. how many years ago was bill three times as old as sam?

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Question 1152508: sam is 18 and bill is 24. how many years ago was bill three times as old as sam?
Found 3 solutions by Alan3354, josgarithmetic, greenestamps:
Answer by Alan3354(69443) About Me  (Show Source):
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sam is 18 and bill is 24. how many years ago was bill three times as old as sam?
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The age difference is 6 years
6/2 = 3
---> 3 & 9

Answer by josgarithmetic(39620) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
PERSON       AGE NOW           UNKNOWN YEARS AGO
Sam            18                18-x
Bill           24                24-x

24-x=3%2818-x%29
Just solve this.

Answer by greenestamps(13203) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


The difference in their ages is 6 years.

When Bill was three times as old as Sam, their ages were 3x and x; the difference is 2x.

So when Bill was three times as old as Sam, we have

2x+=+6
x+=+3

So it was when Sam was x=3 years old and Bill was 3x=9 years old that Bill was 3 times as old as Sam.

And since their ages are now 18 and 24, that was 15 years ago.