Word problems with algebra

[Nelson]

gabriel's father has two older brothers who are twins and six years older than he is. He has a sister who is half his age. The sum of all their combined ages is 145 years. How old is each? I appreciate any help offered.

 

[mmm4444bot]

Please show us how far you've gotten on this exercise. Where are you stuck?

Have you yet chosen any symbols to represent the individual ages?

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Thank you! :cool:

 

[soroban]

Hello, Nelson!

I don't understand the probem . . . Please clarity.

Gabriel's father has two older brothers who are twins and six years older than he is.
Who is "he"? .Gabriel or his father?

He has a sister who is half his age.
Again, who is "he"?

The sum of all their combined ages is 145 years.
Would that be: Gabriel + father + 2 brothers + sister = 145 ?

How old is each?

If the father is removed from the problem, it can be solved.

\(\displaystyle \begin{Bmatrix}G &=& \text{Gabriel's age} \\ G+6 &=& \text{twin brothers' age} \\ \frac{G}{2} &=& \text{sister's age} \end{Bmatrix}\)

And we have: .\(\displaystyle G + 2(G+6) + \dfrac{G}{2} \:=\:145\)