SOLUTION: Please help me solve this equation.bill is 3 times as old as james. eighteen years from now, he will be twice as old as james will be then. find the present age of both bill and ja

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Question 920534: Please help me solve this equation.bill is 3 times as old as james. eighteen years from now, he will be twice as old as james will be then. find the present age of both bill and james. thank you
Found 2 solutions by ewatrrr, sofiyac:
Answer by ewatrrr(24785) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
x James' age Now. bill 3x now
3x + 18 = 2(x+18)
x = 18, James' age Now. Bill 54
And..checking... 18 years from now
72 = 2(36)

Answer by sofiyac(983) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Please help me solve this equation.bill is 3 times as old as james. eighteen years from now, he will be twice as old as james will be then. find the present age of both bill and james. thank you
let james be x years old
then bill is 3x years old
in 18 years
james will be x+18 years old and
bill will be 3x+18 years old so
in 18 years we'd have to multiply james' age by 2 in order to make it equal to bill's age so the equation is
2(x+18)=3x+18 solve for x
2x+36=3x+18 subtract 2x from each side of equal sign and you get
36=x+18 subtract 18 from each side and you get
18=x so james is 18 years old and bill is 18*3=54 years old presently