You plant a 14 inch maple tree in your backyard that grows at a rate of 4 in year and an 8 in oak tree that grows at a rate of 6 in year.

Question

What is the solution with all the work? How tall will each tree be? How many years will it take for the two trees to be the same height?

Answer 1

height for the maple

14 + 4y

 

height for the oak

8 + 6y

 

The are the same height when

14 + 4y = 8 + 6y                 Subtract 4y from both sides

14 = 8 + 2y                         Subtract 8 from both sides

6 = 2y                                  Divide both side by 2

3 = y

 

The are the same height at 3 years.