<PRE><B>Question 534449</B>
&lt;B&gt;Check my profile and contact me for one on one online tutoring.&lt;/B&gt;&lt;P&gt;

Michael is X years old.&lt;P&gt;
Ryan is X-4 years old.&lt;P&gt;
The product of their ages is 1020:  &lt;P&gt;

x(x-4)=1020 multiply both terms inside () by x:&lt;P&gt;
x^2-4x=1020  (subtract 1020 from both sides):&lt;P&gt;
x^2 - 4x -1020 =0  (factor with reverse foil)&lt;P&gt;
(x + 30)(x - 34)  (set each = 0 and solve):&lt;P&gt;
x+30=0 ---&gt; x=-30 age can&#39;t be negative, so this isn&#39;t the answer.&lt;P&gt;
x-34=0 ---&gt;  x=34
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