Mrs. Lang is 4 times as old as her daughter Jill. The sum of their ages is 60 years. Set up the two equations that can be used to find each of their ages.

Constraint 1: The solution must satisfy the ratio of their ages.
Constraint 2: The solution must satisfy the sum of their ages.

we have three similar triangles, because each has a right angle and shares an angle.   let's write the angles in order: opposite to short leg, long leg, hypotenuse.

cab similar to bad similar to cbd

or as ratios,

ca: ab: cb = ba: ad: bd = cb: bd: cd

we also know

ac = ad + cd

(ad+cd): ab: cb = ba: ad: bd = cb: bd: cd

(ad+cd)/cb=cb/cd

we have cb=6, ad=5 and seek x=cd.

we reject the negative root and conclude x=4

answer: 4

the solution of the equation is 2.23 ⇒ answer b

step-by-step explanation:

* lets revise the meaning of exponential function

- the form of the exponential function is y = ab^x, where a ≠ 0, b > 0 ,  

  b ≠ 1, and x is any real number

- it has a constant base b

- it has a variable exponent x

- to solve an exponential equation, take the log or ln of both sides,  

  and solve for the variable

* lets solve the problem

∵

- the base is 7 and the exponent is x

- insert ㏑ in both sides

∴

- use the rule

∴ x ㏑(7) = ㏑(77)

- to find x divide both sides by ㏑(7)

∴

* the solution of the equation is 2.23 to the nearest 2 decimal places