[Slick]

Originally posted by Phoenix-D:
"A ship is twice as old as its boiler was when the ship was as old as the boiler is. The sum of their ages is 49 years. How old is the ship and how old is the boiler?"

First sentence is a complicated way of saying that the ship is twice as old as the boiler. Therefore, 2x+y =49.

EDIT: actually the first sentence is just complicated period. Sheesh.

More correct therefore:
y =2x
x+y = 49

substitute. 3x =49
x = 16.333
y = 32.666

Boiler is 16 years, 4 months. Ship is 32 years, 8 months.

nope. try again. The first sentence is saying more than you have accounted for.

edit: good night, all. I'll check back in the morning on your solutions.

Slick.

[ July 31, 2003, 07:29: Message edited by: Slick ]