[fishgrlzmom]

my daughter has this math problem for homework and I can't for the life of me figure out how to do it.

Alex is 35. Burt is 7 and Chris is 5. In how many years will Alex's age be the sum of Burts and Chris's ages?

HELP!:confused:

[letmetellu]

Alex will be 58 when Burt is 30 and when Chris 28. Which will happen in 23 years.

[Capuchin]

letmetellu, the point isn't in the answer, it's in how to do it. Please don't just give answers as that benefits nobody.

fishgrlzmom, you can work it out by forming an equation

35+x = (7+x) + (5+x)

This states that Alex's age (35) plus some number of years x, is equal to Burt's age plus the same number of years x plus Chris' age, plus the same number of years x.
By solving this equation, we can find the value for x.

then expand brackets:

35+x = 7+x+5+x

then simplify the right hand side

35+x = 12+2x

then minus x from both sides

35 = 12+x

then minus 12 from both sides

23 = x

so, in 23 years the condition will be true, which is the answer given above.

[letmetellu]

Sorry I gave the answer. But I didn't know that the daughter didn't know how to work the problem. I thought this was just a mother wondering about the question. But one other thing is sometimes if you know the answer it is easier to find a solution to the problem

[jebug29]

I think how would be when Burt and Chris' age can be added together to be what Alex's age will be in that many numbers of years that Burt and Chris' age can be added to get Alex's age.