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Read the picture and help plz

Read the picture and help plz-example-1
User Jamk
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Answer: choice A) 8

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Work Shown:

L = Leah's age, S = Sue's age, J = John's age

"Leah is 6 years older than Sue" ----> L = S+6

"John is 5 years older than Leah" ----> J = L+5

"total of their ages is 41" ---> L+S+J = 41

Let's use substitution to get an equation with only one variable.

L+S+J = 41

L+S+L+5 = 41 ... replace J with L+5 (works since J = L+5)

2L+S+5 = 41

2(S+6)+S+5 = 41 ... replace L with S+6. Now we have only one variable

2S+12+S+5 = 41

3S+17 = 41

3S+17-17 = 41-17 ... subtract 17 from both sides

3S = 24

3S/3 = 24/3 ... divide both sides by 3

S = 8

Therefore Sue is 8 years old which is the answer we want.

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At this point we can stop, but as a bonus, let's find the other ages.

We can use Sue's age to find Leah's age

L = S+6

L = 8+6 ... replace S with 8

L = 14

Then use this age to find how old John is

J = L+5

J = 14+5 ... replace L with 14

J = 19

So Sue is 8, Leah is 14, John is 19. Adding up their ages gets us: 8+14+19 = 41 which confirms the right answer.

User Yacoby
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