Answer:
See Down
Step-by-step explanation:
When solving algebraic word problems, we usually assign the variable to the standard of comparison. In this case, the standard of comparison is the age of Tom, so
Let x = Tom's age. Then
"4 less than twice the age of Tom" translates to 2x - 4.
The sum of their ages is 41, so
x + 2x - 4 = 41
Simplifying,
3x - 4 = 41
3x = 45
x = 15
Therefore, Tom is 15, Joe is 2(15) - 4 = 26
