Math Problem: Sibling Ages Total Explained!
Let's dive into this interesting age problem! We're trying to figure out the total age of five siblings, with a little twist. The three middle siblings' ages add up to 27, and each sibling is three years apart. Sounds like a fun puzzle, right? Let's break it down step by step and make sure we understand every piece of information before we start crunching numbers. Remember, in math problems, clarity is key! So, first, let's highlight what we know for sure. We know there are five siblings in total. We also know that the ages of the three middle siblings combined equal 27. And here's the kicker: each sibling is three years older than the next younger sibling. This consistent age gap is crucial for solving the problem. Now that we've laid out the givens, let's think about how we can use them to find the age of each sibling. We need a strategy! Since we know the sum of the three middle siblings' ages, we can start by finding the age of the middle child. This will act as our anchor point. From there, we can figure out the ages of the other siblings, given that three-year age difference. Remember, guys, math problems are all about finding the right starting point and then building from there. Once we know all the individual ages, it's just a simple addition problem to find the total age of all five siblings. So, stay patient, follow along, and let's crack this code together! Now, let's get into the nitty-gritty calculations.
Finding the Ages of the Middle Siblings
Alright, let's find the age of each of the three middle siblings. Since their ages add up to 27 and they are equally spaced, we can use a little algebra or just some logical deduction. Let's call the age of the middle sibling 'x.' Then the age of the sibling younger than them would be 'x - 3,' and the age of the sibling older than them would be 'x + 3.' So, we can write the equation: (x - 3) + x + (x + 3) = 27. Notice how the -3 and +3 cancel each other out, simplifying the equation to 3x = 27. Dividing both sides by 3, we find that x = 9. So, the middle sibling is 9 years old. That means the younger sibling is 9 - 3 = 6 years old, and the older sibling is 9 + 3 = 12 years old. So, the ages of the three middle siblings are 6, 9, and 12. See how neatly that worked out? Now that we know the ages of these siblings, we're in a great position to find the ages of the youngest and oldest siblings. Remember, the age gap between each sibling is consistently 3 years. Now, we need to determine how this information helps us calculate the ages of the remaining siblings. Here's a simple breakdown:
- The youngest sibling is 3 years younger than the 6-year-old sibling.
- The oldest sibling is 3 years older than the 12-year-old sibling.
With these facts, we can easily determine the age of all 5 siblings.
Calculating the Ages of the Youngest and Oldest Siblings
Okay, we're on the home stretch! We know the ages of the three middle siblings are 6, 9, and 12. Now, let's find the ages of the youngest and oldest siblings. Since the age difference between each sibling is 3 years, the youngest sibling is 3 years younger than the 6-year-old sibling. That means the youngest sibling is 6 - 3 = 3 years old. Similarly, the oldest sibling is 3 years older than the 12-year-old sibling, making them 12 + 3 = 15 years old. So, now we know the ages of all five siblings: 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15. It's like we've unlocked the code to this age puzzle! Now, all that's left is to add these ages together to find the total age of all five siblings. Are you ready for the final calculation? Let's make sure we don't miss any of the ages to get the correct result. Let's move on and see the final solution.
Finding the Total Age of All Siblings
Alright, it's time for the grand finale! We know the ages of all five siblings: 3, 6, 9, 12, and 15. To find the total age, we just need to add these numbers together: 3 + 6 + 9 + 12 + 15. Let's break it down step by step to make sure we don't make any mistakes. First, let's add the two youngest siblings: 3 + 6 = 9. Now, let's add the middle sibling's age: 9 + 9 = 18. Next, add the fourth sibling's age: 18 + 12 = 30. Finally, add the oldest sibling's age: 30 + 15 = 45. So, the total age of all five siblings is 45 years. And there you have it! We've successfully solved the problem. Wasn't that a fun journey? We started with the sum of the three middle siblings' ages, figured out the age of each individual sibling, and then added them all together to find the total age. Remember, guys, practice makes perfect. The more you solve these kinds of problems, the better you'll get at breaking them down and finding the solutions. Now, let's recap the entire process so you have a clear understanding of how we solved the problem from start to finish. It's always good to review and reinforce what we've learned.
Summary and Review
So, to recap, we started with the information that the three middle siblings, who are each three years apart in age, have a combined age of 27. We needed to find the total age of all five siblings. The key to solving this problem was to first find the age of the middle sibling among the three. By setting up the equation (x - 3) + x + (x + 3) = 27, we found that the middle sibling is 9 years old. This allowed us to determine that the three middle siblings are 6, 9, and 12 years old. Knowing the age difference between each sibling is 3 years, we then calculated the age of the youngest sibling (3 years old) and the oldest sibling (15 years old). Finally, we added all the ages together: 3 + 6 + 9 + 12 + 15 = 45. Therefore, the total age of all five siblings is 45 years. Remember, always take your time to understand the problem, identify the key information, and develop a strategy for solving it. And don't be afraid to break the problem down into smaller, more manageable steps. With a little patience and practice, you can conquer any math problem that comes your way! Hope you guys have enjoyed this math adventure. Keep practicing and keep learning! Let's keep the momentum going and see what other fun math problems we can solve together in the future!