<PRE><B>Question 1194619</B>
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The solution from the other tutor starts by letting Dan&#39;s age be x, because that is what the problem asks you to find.&lt;br&gt;
That is of course a valid way to set up the problem....  But it leads to unnecessarily awkward equations, which are difficult for a beginning student to form from the given information.&lt;br&gt;
Here is a different start which leads to a much simpler solution.&lt;br&gt;
Let x = Dan&#39;s age 3 years ago&lt;br&gt;
Then x-2 = the difference in their ages (the difference in their ages is 2 less than Dan&#39;s age 3 years ago)&lt;br&gt;
So x+(x-2)=2x-2 = Dan&#39;s mother&#39;s age 3 years ago&lt;br&gt;
So then Dan&#39;s mother&#39;s age now is (2x-2)+3 = 2x+1&lt;br&gt;
His mother is now 55: 2x+1=55; 2x=54; x=27.  Dan&#39;s age 3 years ago was x=27.&lt;br&gt;
So Dan&#39;s age now is 27+3 = 30.&lt;br&gt;
ANSWER: Dan is 30&lt;br&gt;
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