Final answer:
Jody's age can be found by solving the equation x + (2x - 3) = 30, resulting in x = 11.
Step-by-step explanation:
Let's represent Jody's age as x. According to the given information, Jody's older brother is only three years less than twice Jody's age, which can be expressed as 2x - 3. The sum of their ages is 30, so we can write the equation: x + (2x - 3) = 30.
Combining like terms, we get 3x - 3 = 30. Adding 3 to both sides, we have 3x = 33. Dividing both sides by 3, we find that x = 11. Therefore, Jody's age is 11 years old.