Question

Eddie is 7 years older than Brian. If Brian is x years old, then how old was Eddie 11 years ago?

• A. x - 18
• B. x - 4
• C. x - 7
• D. 7x - 11
• E. x + 18

Hint:

In age problems, it's helpful to create a small table for current and past/future ages to keep track of the information. Always start by defining the variables for the current ages before calculating past or future ages.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
This is a word problem that requires translating sentences into algebraic expressions. We need to represent Eddie's current age in terms of x and then find his age in the past.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
First, let's write down the given information as expressions.
Brian's current age is \( x \) years.
Eddie is 7 years older than Brian. So, Eddie's current age is Brian's age plus 7.
\[ \text{Eddie's current age} = x + 7 \] The question asks for Eddie's age 11 years ago. To find this, we subtract 11 years from his current age.
\[ \text{Eddie's age 11 years ago} = (\text{Eddie's current age}) - 11 \] \[ \text{Eddie's age 11 years ago} = (x + 7) - 11 \] Now, simplify the expression.
\[ x + 7 - 11 = x - 4 \]

Step 3: Final Answer:
Eddie's age 11 years ago was \( x - 4 \).