SOLUTION: The oldest child in a family of four children is three times as old as the youngest. The two middle children are 10 and 22 years old. If the average age of the children is 16, how

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Question 1175810: The oldest child in a family of four children is three times as old as the youngest. The two middle children are 10 and 22 years old. If the average age of the children is 16, how old is the youngest child?
Found 2 solutions by ikleyn, josgarithmetic:
Answer by ikleyn(52786) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.

Let x be the youngest; then the oldest is 3x years old.


You have then this equation for the average age


    %28x+%2B+10+%2B+22+%2B+3x%29%2F4 = 16.


It implies


    4x = 4*16 - 10 - 22 = 32

     x                  = 32/4 = 8.


ANSWER.  The youngest child in the family is 8 years old.

Solved.



Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
YOUNGEST        j
MIDDLE1        10
MIDDLE2        22
OLDEST         3j
Average        16

%28j%2B10%2B22%2B3j%29%2F4=16
-
4j%2B32=64
j%2B8=16
highlight%28j=8%29