SOLUTION: May is now 3 less than twice as old as Mylene. If the sum of their ages now is 51, find their present ages.

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Question 926183: May is now 3 less than twice as old as Mylene. If the sum of their ages now is 51, find their present ages.
Answer by Roseghanezadeh(16) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Ok so let May be "y" and Mylene be "x"
It says that may is 3 less than twice mylene so:
y = 2x - 3
Now it says that the sum of their ages is 51 so:
x + y = 51
Now we can substitute "y" with "2x- 3" in the equation above:
x + y = 51
x + 2x - 3 = 51
Now we have to take like terms to the same side:
x + 2x = 51 + 3
3x = 54
x = 18
Now we have "x = 18" we also knew that "y = 2x - 3 "
So:
y = 2(18) - 3
y= 33
May is 33 years old and Mylene is 18 years old.
Check:
x + y = 51
18 + 33 = 51