Question

6 years ago jack was three times older then wade. In four years wade will be half as old as jack. How old are they now?

Answer 1

Jack's age is 36

Wade's age is 16

Explanation:

Let jack's age be "j"

and

Wade's age be "w"

First, we have:

6 yrs AGO, Jack was 3 times as Wade, so we can write:

j-6 = 3(w-6)

Then, we have:

4 yrs from NOW, Wade will be HALF as Jack, so we can write:

w+4 = 0.5(j+4)

Lets simplify the first equation:

j-6 = 3(w-6)

j - 6 = 3w - 18

Solving for j:

j = 3w - 18 + 6

j = 3w - 12

Now, simplifying the second equation:

w+4 = 0.5(j+4)

w+4 = 0.5j+2

w = 0.5j - 2

Now we replace this equation with j's expression we found from first equation:

w = 0.5j - 2

w = 0.5(3w - 12) - 2

w = 1.5w - 6 - 2

0.5w = 8

w = 16

Now, finding j:

j = 3w - 12

j = 3(16) - 12

j = 36

So,

Jack's age is 36

Wade's age is 16