Max is 33. Suzanne's age (in years) is twice his age. He wondered on which birthday his age was 1/4 of her age (in years)?

Question

Use an equation to solve this problem, and provide an explanation

Answer 1

So here is how you set up the table for age problems. Sometimes, they have ages in the past as well.

 

                                      past age       current age       future age

max                                   33-x                33                 33+x

Suzanne                             66-x                66                 66+x

 

x stands for the number of years in the future or the past, we're not really sure which this is, and in truth , it doesn't really matter....here's why.

 

Let's use the past ages. you would get the equation

33-x = 1/4(66-x)             remove ()

33-x = 16.5 - .25x           gather like terms on opposite sides

16.5 =   .75x                  divide by .75

   22 =   x

 

So 22 years ago, their ages were 11 and 44, and 11 is 1/4 of 44......so on his 11th birthday, this occurred.

 

If you use the other representation, you'd get

 

33+x = .25(66+x)

33+x = 16.5 + .25x

16.5 = -.75x

-22  = x

 

Since x is negative, this represents 22 years ago as well (which is not a future age!!!).....and this ends up giving the same exact answers.

 

Hope this helped.