Question #b3354

2 Answers
Jul 5, 2017

Today Jane is 3 years old and Kenny is 7 years old

Explanation:

Their situation after 7 years:

(x+7) + (4+x+7) = 24(x+7)+(4+x+7)=24

The first term is for Jane and the second term is for Kenny.

Therefore when you solve the above written equation, you will get Jane is 3 years old (x=3). Kenny is 7 years old (right now).

3 years later (starting now)

Jane will be 6 and Kenny will be 10 years old. The equation for this situation is:

(x+3) + (x+4+3) = 16(x+3)+(x+4+3)=16

Jul 5, 2017

Solution to a-> formula for age after 3 years 2x+10=T_32x+10=T3

We are not asked to find the value of T_3T3

Solution to b->Jane's age now =3=3

General case for n years: 2x+2n+4=T_n2x+2n+4=Tn

Explanation:

color(red)("Note that TODAY Jane is x years old")Note that TODAY Jane is x years old

color(blue)("Initial condition")Initial condition

Jane =xx
Kenny =x+4=x+4

color(blue)("Ages after seven years:")Ages after seven years:

It is given that the combined age after 7 years is 24.

Jane =x+7=x+7
Kenny =(x+4)+7=x+11=(x+4)+7=x+11

[x+7]+[x+11]=24" "->" "2x+18=24[x+7]+[x+11]=24 2x+18=24
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
color(blue)("Answering part b first as it determines " x)Answering part b first as it determines x

Jane's age today->xx

So we need to determine xx

Using: 2x+18=242x+18=24

Subtract 18 from both sides (get rid of it from the left)

2x=24-182x=2418

2x=62x=6

Divide both sides by 2

x=3 larr" age at initial condition which is now"x=3 age at initial condition which is now

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
color(blue)("Answer part a")Answer part a

Only need the formula !!!!

Let the combined age at initial condition be T_0T0 (T for total)
Let the combined age at the time interval nn be T_nTn
So the combined age at year 3 will be T_3T3

Initial condition: [x]+[x+4] = T_0[x]+[x+4]=T0

Just added the TT for completeness. We do not really need to know its value.

After 3 years color(red)(ul("each")) of them would have gained 3 years, which when added give a total increase of 6 as the sum of their years.

[xcolor(red)(+3)]+[x+4color(red)(+3)]=T_0color(red)(+3+3)=T_3

2x+10=T_3larr" We are not asked to find the value of "T_3
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
color(blue)("General case "->" Not asked for in the question")

[x+n]+[x+4+n]=T_n

x+x+4+n+n=T_n

2x+4+2n=T_n

2x+2n+4=T_n