Algebra Equation about two people's age?

Question

In a film, the actor Charles Coburn plays an elderly "uncle" character criticized for marrying a woman when he is 3 times her age. He wittily replies, "Ah, but in 20 years time I shall only be twice her age." How old are the "uncle" and the woman?

Steps, please.

Answer 1

Favorite Answer

Let m be the man's age, and w be the woman's age.

Now:

m = 3 * w

Later:

(m + 20) = 2 * (w + 20)

So

m + 20 = 2w + 40

And we know that m = 3w already. so

m + 20 = 2w + 40

(3w) + 20 = 2w + 40

3w = 2w + 20

w = 20

Which means m = 60.

Now, he is 60 and she is 20, so he's 3 times as old.

In 20 years, he'll be 80 and she'll be 40, so he'll be only twice as old.

Answer 2

Actor Charles Coburn

Source(s): https://shorte.im/a9ap7