SOLVING PROBLEMS

INVOLVING LINEAR
EQUATIONS IN ONE
VARIABLE
AGE-RELATED
PROBLEMS
STEPS IN SOLVING WORD PROBLEMS

A - Analyze
R - Represent
E - Equation
S - Solve
C - Check
 I am 13 years old now.
Represent my age as indicated
by completing the table:
MY PRESENT AGE 13

My age 2 years from now 13 + 2

My age 10 years from now 13 + 10

My age x years from now 13 + x

My age 2 years ago 13 – 2

My age 10 years ago 13 – 10

BERT
My age y years ago 13 – y
 Arlene is a years old now and Bert is b years
old. Express the following in terms of a and b.
REPRESENTATION

Arlene’s age in 5 years a+5

Bert’s age in 5 years b+5

The sum of their ages in 5
a+5+b+5
years
Arlene’s age 2 years ago a–2

Bert’s age 3 years ago b–3

The sum of their ages 3
a -3+b-3
years ago
Complete each table by using the given
information
1. Mercy is 5 years younger than Bobet
Name Age now Age in 2 years
Mercy x–5 x–5+2
Bobet x x+2

2. Anthony is twice as old as Beth

Name Age now Age 3 years ago
Anthony 2x 2x – 3
Beth x x–3
PROBLEM 1
Nathaniel is twice as old as Lawrence. Three years
from now, the sum of their ages will be 42. How
old is each?
ANALYZE
3 years from now
_____ + _____ = 42
 PROBLEM 1
Nathaniel is twice as old as Lawrence. Three years
from now, the sum of their ages will be 42. How
old is each?
REPRESENT
PRESENT AGE AGE THREE YEARS FROM NOW
NATHANIEL 2x 2x + 3
LAWRENCE x x+3
PROBLEM 1
Nathaniel is twice as old as Lawrence. Three years
from now, the sum of their ages will be 42. How
old is each?
EQUATION
Nathaniel’s age + Lawrence age = 42
3 years from now 3 years from now

2x + 3 + x+3 = 42
PROBLEM 1
Nathaniel is twice as old as Lawrence. Three years
from now, the sum of their ages will be 42. How
old is each?
SOLVE
x= 12 Lawrence’s age
2x + 3 + x + 3 = 42
2x + x = 42 – 3 – 3 2x = Nathaniel’s age
3x = 36 2(12) = 24
PROBLEM 1
Nathaniel is twice as old as Lawrence. Three years
from now, the sum of their ages will be 42. How
old is each?
CHECK
Nathaniel’s age 12 + 3 = 15
Lawrence ‘age 24 + 3 = + 17
42
PROBLEM 2
Jana is five times as old as her sister Liana. Three
years ago, she was seven times as old as Liana.
How old are they?
ANALYZE
3 years ago
Jana’s age= seven times Liana’s age
 PROBLEM 2
Jana is five times as old as her sister Liana. Three
years ago, she was seven times as old as Liana.
How old are they?
REPRESENT
PRESENT AGE AGE THREE YEARS AGO
JANA 5x 5x – 3
LIANA x x–3
PROBLEM 2
Jana is five times as old as her sister Liana. Three
years ago, she was seven times as old as Liana.
How old are they?
EQUATION
Jana’s age = Seven times Liana’s age
3 years ago 3 years ago
5x - 3 = 7(x–3)
PROBLEM 2
Jana is five times as old as her sister Liana. Three
years ago, she was seven times as old as Liana.
How old are they?
SOLUTION
-2x = -18 5x = Jana’s age
5x – 3 = 7 ( x – 3)
5 (9) = 45
5x – 3 = 7x – 21
x = 9 Liana’s age
5x – 7x = -21 + 3
PROBLEM 2
Jana is five times as old as her sister Liana. Three
years ago, she was seven times as old as Liana.
How old are they?
CHECK
Jana’s age 45 – 3 = 42 42 is 7 x 6
Liana’s age 9–3 = 6
TRY THIS
A man is 3 times as old as his son. Four years ago,
the sum of their ages was 36. Find the age of each
now.
MORE EXAMPLES :
Mary is four times as old as her daughter. Next
year their ages will total 42 years . How old are
they now?
ACTIVITY:
1.Henry is 5 years more than 4 times his son’s
age. In 5 years, he will be 3 times his son’s age
then. Find the age of each.
2.Thess is now seven times as old as her daughter.
Ten years from now, she will be three years as old
as her daughter. How old are they?