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2 votes
PLEASE HELP!

A wool tapestry is 32 years older than a linen tapestry. Twenty years ago, the wool tapestry was twice as old as the linen tapestry. Find the present age of each.

Answer choices:
a. 83, 51
b. 84, 52
c. 85, 53
d. 86, 54
e. 87, 55

Explain in detail how you got to the answer.

1 Answer

2 votes

Let's use the variables w and l to represent the current ages of the wool and linen tapestries, respectively.

From the problem, we know that:

w = l + 32 (the wool tapestry is 32 years older than the linen tapestry)

w - 20 = 2(l - 20) (twenty years ago, the wool tapestry was twice as old as the linen tapestry)

We can simplify the second equation by distributing the 2:

w - 20 = 2l - 40

Now we can substitute the first equation into the second equation to eliminate w:

(l + 32) - 20 = 2l - 40

Simplifying this equation, we get:

l + 12 = 2l - 40

Adding 40 to both sides:

l + 52 = 2l

Subtracting l from both sides:

l = 52

Now we can use the first equation to find w:

w = l + 32 = 52 + 32 = 84

Therefore, the present age of the wool tapestry is 84 years old, and the present age of the linen tapestry is 52 years old.

So the answer is option (b) 84, 52.

answered
User Waleed
by
8.3k points
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