Classic "Age" Problems - A couple of ways to solve these questions - Method 1

Chris is 3 times as old as Pat.               Together their ages add up to 32.                          How old is each of them?

Method 1 - 

a) Create an equation. Pat is your "reference" or starting point. Look for the word "as" or "than". (The first sentence could have been written "Chris is 3 times older than Pat.") The word associated with "as" or "than" becomes your reference. 

b) Pick a letter to represent Pat's age. We'll use "x".

c) If Pat is "x", then Chris has to be 3x.

d) "Together their ages add up to 32..." so...
x + 3x = 32

e) Combine your x's. (That's a lot of alimony). 
4x = 32

f) This means 4 times "something" = 32. The answer is 8. One "x" = 8

g) Pat is 8, because Pat is one "x". Chris is 24 because Chris is 3 times older than Pat.

h) Check! Always check! "Together their ages add up to 32."       8 + 24 = 32.