Another maths question...

Amp34 · 30 Jan 2017 at 05:03

This came up in a basic maths test a family member did. She got it wrong and asked me for the answer, which I came up with, but it's different to any on the quiz (multiple choice), so I throw it over to OcUK. Am I failing at basic maths/comprehension too, have they cocked up the question...?

Question:

In 2 years time, Bill's age will be three times Emily's age.
Emily is now t years old.
How old is Bill now?

The answer will start: b=3t***

So what replaces the stars?

muon · 30 Jan 2017 at 05:53

b + 2 = 3 * (e + 2)

if e = t,

b = 3t + 4

JonJ678 · 30 Jan 2017 at 05:54

Translate forward by 2, triple it, translate backward by two.

(t+2)*3 -2

Simplifies to 3t + 4.

richthomuk · 30 Jan 2017 at 06:03

^ yeah, what they said

Amp34 · 30 Jan 2017 at 06:34

Ahh, ok. So adding two to both sides, because you need to add two to emily's age as well...! That makes sense - comprehension failure, which was always my biggest problem with those sort of questions.

I got 3t-2 as I didn't comprehend the "now" in Emily's age.

Thanks for that guys.

DXP55 · 30 Jan 2017 at 08:20

Having left school 58 years ago is that a simultaneous equation ??

Could do them then but no idea now.

Amp34 · 30 Jan 2017 at 23:44

No, not a simultaneous equation. That would mean you could actually work out both their ages using two equations. This is just a single equation calculated from a scenario.

DXP55 · 31 Jan 2017 at 08:21

Ah thanks - no wonder I didn't understand it