Word problem-in a movie script time traveler wanted to save his wife who died the same year. the couple was the dam age. however, he may have gone to far as his age was three times the age of his wife. if he went back 20 years in the past, how old is our time traveler?

Represent Age of Time Traveler > X

Solve:

x = 3(x - 20 )

Step 1: Simplify Both sides of equation:

x = 3(x - 20 )

x = (3) (x) + (3) ( - 20 ) (Distribute ):

x = 3x + - 60

x = 3x - 60

Step 2: Subtract 3x from both sides:

x - 3x = 3x - 60 - 3x

- 2x = - 60

Step 3: Divide both sides by -2:

- 2x / - 2 = - 60 / - 2

x = 30

Our Time Traveler is 30 years old.

Hope that helps : )