11 Plus Question....?? Please Help

[MustangLady]

The question is...Sobia will be X years old 5 years from now. How old was she 3 years ago? (Your answer should include X)..... Answer_________
*note the X is printed in bold.

This is a question put on an 11+ paper. Is this me being stupid (or having a senile moment?) Only serious answers please.

Even I cannot understand how to work this out (trying to help someone out or at least help explain how they should get to their answer). This is the only one she stuck on. On the paper, they haven't given a start age as such....is the 'X' Roman numerals 10? But I don't think it is. Any ideas anyone..would appreciate your help.

[coccinelle]

X - 8

[Canary42]

x - 8

[Sqad]

X-8 years?

[FredPuli43]

Try X minus 8 , X-8.

X is meant to be the algebraic X not Roman ten.

[B00]

Anyone care to say why X = 8?

[grasscarp]

If Sobia is X in 5 years, at the moment she is X - 5
3 years ago, she was therefore X - 8

[coccinelle]

mustang, do we get a gold star?

[grasscarp]

X is not 8 Boo. X is not defined. 3 years ago Sobia was X - 8. (as I just explained why)

[Sqad]

BOO...who is saying that X=8?

[knowabit]

I;m confused, where do you all get 8 from??

[Canary42]

Nobody said X=8, it is not possible to determine the value of X from the data given.

[MustangLady]

Thank you for quick reply. Would you please explain how you got to that? I would like to explain to her how to get to that answer rather than just give answer. Would be much appreciated.

[B00]

oh, thought you all were.

Still don't geddit.

I hate math :-(

[Mamyalynne]

Grasscarp @ 11.49 explains it perfectly.

[Canary42]

Simple - the age she will be in 5 years time will be 8 years more than the age she was 3 years ago.

[Sqad]

Mustang Lady....read the answer of Grasscarp.....

[grasscarp]

I did explain.
Now is 5 years before Sobia is X years old. So currently she is X - 5 (years)
3 years ago she was therefore X - 8 (years old)

[EdmundD]

I found this with the answer at:

http://s6tutoringacademy.co.uk/pdf/maths_2010_merged.pdf

The answers are on the last page and apparently the correct anwer is X-8. Whic does make sense - 5 year into the future, 3 years into the past gives a range of 8 years, hence x-8.

[MustangLady]

As Canary mentioned, I don't believe it is possible to determine the value of X from the data given. I'm still rather confused.

[Mamyalynne]

You can't and don't need to , the answer is as said.

X-8