SOLUTION: I can figure out the answer to the problem Anna is 18, Dennis is 9 and Curtis is 5.. but what the teacher wants is to "Define a variable, and then write an equation for each probl
Algebra ->
Customizable Word Problem Solvers
-> Misc
-> SOLUTION: I can figure out the answer to the problem Anna is 18, Dennis is 9 and Curtis is 5.. but what the teacher wants is to "Define a variable, and then write an equation for each probl
Log On
Question 348158: I can figure out the answer to the problem Anna is 18, Dennis is 9 and Curtis is 5.. but what the teacher wants is to "Define a variable, and then write an equation for each problem".
The problem is Anna is twice as old as her brother Dennis, who is 4 years older thean their brother Curtis. The sum of their ages is 32. How old is Anna?
Need to define a variable and then write an equation and not sure how to do that?
You can put this solution on YOUR website! The problem is Anna is twice as old as her brother Dennis, who is 4 years older
than their brother Curtis.
The sum of their ages is 32. How old is Anna?
:
let a = Anna's age
let d = Dennis's age
let c = Curtis's age
:
Write an equation for each statement, we will try to get everything in terms of d:
:
"Anna is twice as old as her brother Dennis"
a = 2d
:
"who is 4 years older than their brother Curtis."
d = c + 4
Subtract 4 from both sides, and we have
c = d-4
:
" The sum of their ages is 32."
a + d + c = 32
:
Replace a with 2d, and replace c with (d-4)
2d + d + (d-4) = 32
2d + d + d = 32 + 4
4d = 36
d =
d = 9 yrs is Denni's age
then
a = 2(9) = 18 is Anna's age
