Question 106246
NOW:
x=John's age
3x=father's age
3x-3=mother's age

TEN YEARS FROM NOW:
x+10=John's age
3x+10=father's age
(3x-3)+10=mother's age

SO THE SUM OF THEIR AGES IN TEN YEARS TIME IS:

x+10+3x+10+(3x-3)+10  get rid of parens

x+10+3x+10+3x-3+10  collect like terms

7x+27---------------ans


Hope this helps---ptaylor