SOLUTION: if matt is 3 years less than 4 times as old as john, and the sum of both of their ages are 52,how old are matt and john?

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Question 618932: if matt is 3 years less than 4 times as old as john, and the sum of both of their ages are 52,how old are matt and john?
Answer by barai(2) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let Johns age = x
Since matt is 4 times him minus 3 let his age = 4x-3
Total age =52
Form an equation
x+4x-3=52
Collect like terms
5x-3=52
Get 5x on its own by adding 3 to both sides

5x=55
Divide both sides by 5 to solve for x

x=11 (Johns age is 11)
To find Matts age times 4 by x (johns age)then minus 3= 44-3=41
So Johns age is 11 and Matts age is 41