Answer:
The answer is D, 72.
Explanation:
et’s solve this problem step by step.
We are given that Natalie is one-third as old as her mother and the difference in their ages is 24 years. Let’s assume Natalie’s age is N and her mother’s age is M.
From the first piece of information, we can write the equation: N = (1/3)M.
From the second piece of information, we can write another equation: M - N = 24.
To solve this system of equations, we can substitute the value of N from the first equation into the second equation:
(1/3)M - N = 24.
Multiplying both sides of the equation by 3 to eliminate the fraction, we get:
M - 3N = 72.
Now, we have two equations:
N = (1/3)M
M - 3N = 72
We can solve this system of equations using substitution or elimination. Let’s use substitution:
From equation 1, we can express M in terms of N: M = 3N.
Substituting this value of M into equation 2, we get:
3N - 3N = 72.
Simplifying further, we find:
0 = 72.