Maths Question

[Paladuck]

B, p, m

b=p-3 (bill ran 3 mins faster than peter, so peter's time minus 3 equals bill's time)
-->p=b+3 (solve for p)
m=b/3 (michael was 3 times quicker than bill, so if you take bill's time and divide it by 3 you get michael's)

b+p+m=24 (the three equal 24)

b+(b+3)+(b/3)=24 (solve for b)
3b/3 + (3b+9)/3 + b/3 = 72/3 (find common denominator)
(4b + 3b + 9)/3 = 72/3 (combine)
7b+9=72 (multiply both sides by 3 to get rid of fraction)
7b=63

b=9
m=3
p=12

b+m+p = 24

[MageMoa]

B, p, m

b=p-3 (bill ran 3 mins faster than peter, so peter's time minus 3 equals bill's time)
-->p=b+3 (solve for p)
m=b/3 (michael was 3 times quicker than bill, so if you take bill's time and divide it by 3 you get michael's)

b+p+m=24 (the three equal 24)

b+(b+3)+(b/3)=24 (solve for b)
3b/3 + (3b+9)/3 + b/3 = 72/3 (find common denominator)
(4b + 3b + 9)/3 = 72/3 (combine)
7b+9=72 (multiply both sides by 3 to get rid of fraction)
7b=63

b=9
m=3
p=12

b+m+p = 24

Moa got this :l

[Raiyne]

Bill ran 3 minutes quicker means his time was 3 minutes shorter than Peter's.

That's where your x + 3 = y is wrong.

[woshiibreak]

Bill ran 3 minutes quicker means his time was 3 minutes shorter than Peter's.

That's where your x + 3 = y is wrong.

Oh, right. Everything is just reversed then..? y is Peter, x is Bill. So it should be x / 3 = z? These things confuse me..