Final answer:
By setting up an equation to represent the ages of the orangutans, we find that in 4 years, the older orangutan can indeed be twice as old as the younger orangutan, given the initial age gap of 6 years. Therefore, the answer is:(a) Yes, it is possible.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves solving an age-related problem, which is a common type of question in mathematics. To find out if it is possible for the older orangutan to be twice as old as the younger orangutan in 4 years, given the initial age difference of 6 years, we should set up an equation based on the given conditions.
Let's denote the current age of the younger orangutan as y and the older orangutan's age as y + 6. In 4 years, the younger orangutan will be y + 4 years old, and the older orangutan will be (y + 6) + 4 = y + 10 years old.
For the older orangutan to be twice as old as the younger orangutan at that point, we must have y + 10 = 2(y + 4).
Solving this equation: y + 10 = 2y + 8, we get y = 2. This means that currently, the younger orangutan is 2 years old, and the older orangutan is 2 + 6 = 8 years old. In 4 years, the younger orangutan will be 6 years old and the older orangutan will be 12 years old, which is exactly twice as old. Therefore, the answer is:
(a) Yes, it is possible.