Question 255433
There are 5 people standing in a room.
:
Write an equation for each phrase; put everything in terms of m
: 
Rick is 5 times the age of Mike;
R = 5M
:
who is half the age of Larry.
M = .5L
or
L = 2M
:
Ed is 30 years younger than double Larry and Mike's combined ages.
E = 2(L+M) - 30
E = 2L + 2M - 30
Replace L with 2M
E = 2(2M) + 2M - 30
E = 4M + 2M - 30
E = 6M - 30
:
Daniel is 79 years younger than Rick.
D = R - 79
Replace R with 5M
D = 5M - 79
:
the sum of their ages is 271.
R + M + L + E + D = 271
Find M
5M + M + 2M + (6M-30) + (5M-79) = 271
19M - 109 = 271
19M = 271 + 109
19M = 380
M = {{{380/19}}}
M = 20
:
How old is Daniel?
D = 5M - 79
D = 5(20) - 79
D = 100 - 79
D = 21 yrs
;
:
Check solution by finding the age of each and totaling it 
R = 5(20) = 100
L = 2(20) = 40
E = 6(20) - 30 = 90
:
R + M + L + E + D = 271
100 + 20 + 40 + 90 + 21 = 271