Question

Maria is 8 years older than her brother, and the sum of their ages is 72 years. How old is her brother?

Answer 1

Answer by addingup(3677) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

M + b = 72

M + 8 = b

therefore:

M + M + 8 = 72

solve for M:

2M + 8 = 72

2M = 64

M = 32

and her brother is 32 + 8 = 40

Answer by MathTherapy(9420) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Maria is 8 years older than her brother, and the sum of their ages is 72 years.

How old is her brother?

Let her brother's age be B

Then she's B + 8

We then get: B + B + 8 = 72

2B = 64

B, or brother is: highlight_green%28matrix%281%2C4%2C+64%2F2%2C+%22=%22%2C+32%2C+years-old%29%29