Let the age of the Jane be [tex] x [/tex]
So age of Helen = [tex] x [/tex] + 8
Twenty years ago,
Age of Jane = [tex] x [/tex] - 20
And age of Helen = [tex] x [/tex] + 8 - 20 = [tex] x [/tex] - 12
Helen was three times as old as Jane
[tex] x [/tex] - 12 = 3 ([tex] x [/tex] - 20)
[tex] x [/tex] - 12 = 3 [tex] x [/tex] - 60
Add - 3[tex] x [/tex] on both sides,
[tex] x [/tex] - 3 [tex] x [/tex] - 12 = 3 [tex] x [/tex] - 3 [tex] x [/tex] - 60
-2[tex] x [/tex] - 12 = - 60
Add 12 on both sides
-2[tex] x [/tex] - 12 + 12 = - 60 + 12
-2[tex] x [/tex] = - 48
Divide both side by -2
[tex] \frac{-2x}{-2}=\frac{-48}{-2} [/tex]
[tex] x [/tex] = 24
Age of Jane = 24 yrs
Age of Helen = 32 yrs
