Question

Andre came up with the following puzzle. “I am three years younger than my brother, and I am 2 years older than my sister. My mom's age is one less than three times my brother's age. When you add all our ages, you get 87. What are our ages?”

Jada writes this equation for the sum of the ages:

(x) + (x + 3) + (x - 2) + 3(x + 3) - 1 = 87

Match the meaning to each term of the equation.


x

x + 3

(x - 2)

3(x + 3) - 1

87

Answer 1

x = 13

Andre is 13

Brother is 16

Sister is 11

Mom is 47

All together they are 87!

Explanation:

x + x + 3 + x - 2 + 3x + 9 - 1 = 87

6x + 9 = 87

6x = 87 - 9

6x = 78

x = 78/6

x = 13

Answer 2

x = 13

Andre is 13, Andre's brother is 16, Andre's sister is 11, Andre's mom is 47