Q. Tom is 3 years older than twice the age of his sister. The sum of their ages is 23. How old is Tom, and how old is his sister?
Define Variables: Let x represent the sister's age. Then, Tom's age can be represented as 2x+3, since Tom is 3 years older than twice his sister's age.
Write Sum Equation: The sum of their ages is given as 23. We can write this as an equation: x+(2x+3)=23.
Combine Like Terms: Combine like terms in the equation: x+2x+3=23.
Simplify Equation: Simplify the equation: 3x+3=23.
Isolate x Term: Subtract 3 from both sides of the equation to isolate the term with x: 3x=23−3.
Calculate Value: Calculate the value on the right side of the equation: 3x=20.
Solve for x: Divide both sides of the equation by 3 to solve for x: x=320.
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