Question

Bucky is 8 years older than Steve. Bucky is also three times Steve's age. How old is Bucky?

a) 12 years
b) 16 years
c) 24 years
d) 32 years

Answer 1

Using an algebraic equation, we discovered that if Steve's age is represented by s, then 3s = s + 8. Solving for s gives us Steve's age as 4 years, which makes Bucky's age 3 times that, resulting in 12 years. Hence, Bucky is 12 years old.

Step-by-step explanation:

We can solve this problem by setting up an algebraic equation. Let's let Steve's age be represented by the variable s. According to the problem, Bucky is 8 years older than Steve, which means Bucky's age can be written as s + 8. The problem also states that Bucky is three times Steve's age, so we can write this as 3s. Setting up our equation, we have 3s = s + 8.

To find Steve's age, we need to isolate the variable s on one side of the equation. Here are the steps:

1. Subtract s from both sides of the equation: 3s - s = s + 8 - s
2. This simplifies to 2s = 8
3. Divide both sides by 2: 2s / 2 = 8 / 2
4. So, s = 4

Now that we have Steve's age, s, we can find Bucky's age by multiplying Steve's age by 3: 3 × 4 = 12. So, Bucky is 12 years old, which corresponds to option (a) 12 years.