Math question

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dfen5

Original Poster:

2,398 posts

219 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
Just doing some 11+ papers with the daughter and one question got me stumped.

Baz is 5 years older than his brother and 1 year younger than his cousin.

His uncle is 3 times the age of his cousin and 4 times the age of his brother.

How old is Baz?

how does one go about working this out? I know it's a number that will give the same result x3 and x4 but there's got to be a quick way..


schmunk

4,399 posts

132 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
dfen5 said:
Just doing some 11+ papers with the daughter and one question got me stumped.

Baz is 5 years older than his brother and 1 year younger than his cousin.

His uncle is 3 times the age of his cousin and 4 times the age of his brother.

How old is Baz?

how does one go about working this out? I know it's a number that will give the same result x3 and x4 but there's got to be a quick way..
4(x-5) = 3(x+1)

4x - 20 = 3x + 3

4x - 3x = 3 - 20

X = -17

You've written it down incorrectly...


V8LM

5,269 posts

216 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
Yes, written down wrong:

Bz = 5 Br

Bz = C - 1

U = 3 C

U = 4 Br


Bz = 5 U / 4

Bz = 5 3C / 4

Bz = 5 3(Bz + 1) / 4

4 Bz = 15 Bz + 5

11 Bz = -5

Bz = -5 / 11

?

EliseNick

271 posts

188 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
dfen5 said:
Just doing some 11+ papers with the daughter and one question got me stumped.

Baz is 5 years older than his brother and 1 year younger than his cousin.

His uncle is 3 times the age of his cousin and 4 times the age of his brother.

How old is Baz?

how does one go about working this out? I know it's a number that will give the same result x3 and x4 but there's got to be a quick way..
My thought process was; The cousin (c) is six years older than the brother (b), so c=b+6.

Also we know, from the uncle's age that 3*c = 4*b

Putting these together;
3(b + 6) = 4b
3b + 18 = 4b
b = 18

So Baz = 18 + 5 = 23.

DoubleD

22,154 posts

115 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
I don't know, but Math has an S on the end of it.

dfen5

Original Poster:

2,398 posts

219 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
The question stops at how old is Baz. The rest is just my dribblings. Looks like I've written as the book.

FWIW

3,169 posts

104 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
DoubleD said:
I don't know, but Math has an S on the end of it.
Glad it wasn't just me.

dfen5

Original Poster:

2,398 posts

219 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
EliseNick said:
My thought process was; The cousin (c) is six years older than the brother (b), so c=b+6.

Also we know, from the uncle's age that 3*c = 4*b

Putting these together;
3(b + 6) = 4b
3b + 18 = 4b
b = 18

So Baz = 18 + 5 = 23.
We have a winner. I still don't get how you did that.. Doh!

Edit. Got it now, thank you.

Edited by dfen5 on Monday 11th April 21:00

EliseNick

271 posts

188 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
dfen5 said:
We have a winner. I still don't get how you did that.. Doh!
Do you mean you don't get the maths or don't get how I knew how to do it?

M4cruiser

4,091 posts

157 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
schmunk said:
4(x-5) = 3(x+1)

4x - 20 = 3x + 3

4x - 3x = 3 - 20

X = -17

You've written it down incorrectly...
Correct answer is 23.

This algebra from schmunk is correct up to the line
4x - 3x = 3 - 20 which should be 4x - 3x = 3 +20; you just got "-" instead of "+" (adding 20 to both sides)




dfen5

Original Poster:

2,398 posts

219 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
EliseNick said:
Do you mean you don't get the maths or don't get how I knew how to do it?
Got it now, thank you. beer

stuartmmcfc

8,706 posts

199 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
Orange

wilwak

759 posts

177 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
Baz = Bruv + 5
Baz = Cous -1

Unc = 3 x Cous
Unc = 4 x Bruv

===>

Bruv + 5 = Cous -1 =====>> Bruv = Cous -6

3 x Cous = 4 x Bruv

3 x Cous = 4 x (Cous - 6)

3 x Cous = 4 x Cous - 24

Cous = 24

===>>> Baz = 24 - 1 = 23 (The Answer)

To check:

Bruv = 18
Cous = 24

Uncle = 72

Sorted! :-)




EliseNick

271 posts

188 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
dfen5 said:
Got it now, thank you. beer
Good stuff!

sidicks

25,218 posts

228 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
dfen5 said:
We have a winner. I still don't get how you did that.. Doh!
Does this help?

Let Bz = Baz, Br = Brother, C = cousin, U = uncle.

We know that:
(1) Bz = Br + 5
(2) Bz = C - 1
(3) U = 3 x C
(4) U = 4 x Br

(3),(4) => 3C = 4Br (5)

Substituting in (5) for C from (2) and Br from (1) => 3 x (Bz+1) = 4x(Bz-5)

=> 3Bz + 3 = 4Bz - 20
=> Bz = 23
=> Br = 18
=> C = 24
=> U = 72

(as above!)

wilwak

759 posts

177 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
Shuks! Beaten to it! I type too slow on this Ipad thingy!!!

sidicks

25,218 posts

228 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
wilwak said:
Shuks! Beaten to it! I type too slow on this Ipad thingy!!!
You still beat me!

schmunk

4,399 posts

132 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
M4cruiser said:
schmunk said:
4(x-5) = 3(x+1)

4x - 20 = 3x + 3

4x - 3x = 3 - 20

X = -17

You've written it down incorrectly...
Correct answer is 23.

This algebra from schmunk is correct up to the line
4x - 3x = 3 - 20 which should be 4x - 3x = 3 +20; you just got "-" instead of "+" (adding 20 to both sides)
Apologies, doing it on my phone whilst cooking supper - inappropriate level of care given...

Edited by schmunk on Monday 11th April 21:27

thanetspeedshop

503 posts

197 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
Yeah, whatever... He's 23.

V8LM

5,269 posts

216 months

Monday 11th April 2016
quotequote all
V8LM said:
Yes, written down wrong:

Bz = 5 Br

Bz = C - 1

U = 3 C

U = 4 Br


Bz = 5 U / 4

Bz = 5 3C / 4

Bz = 5 3(Bz + 1) / 4

4 Bz = 15 Bz + 5

11 Bz = -5

Bz = -5 / 11

?
Ignore the drivel above.

Bz = Br + 5 (NOT 5 Br).

Bz = C - 1

U = 3 C

U = 4 Br


Bz = U / 4 + 5

Bz = 3C / 4 + 5

Bz = 3 (Bz + 1) / 4 + 5

4 Bz = 3 (Bz + 1) + 20

Bz = 23