To solve age-related problems effectively, follow these structured steps:

Understanding the Problem
- Read the problem carefully.
- Identify the ages of individuals involved.
- Note any relationships between their ages (e.g., "twice as old," "10 years older").

Setting Up Variables
- Assign variables to the unknown ages, such as:
- Let \( x \) = present age of Person A
- Let \( y \) = present age of Person B


Formulating Equations
- Translate the relationships into equations based on the information given. For example:
- If Person A is 5 years older than Person B, write:
\( x = y + 5 \)
- If in 3 years, Person A will be twice as old as Person B, write:
\( x + 3 = 2(y + 3) \)

Solving the Equations
- Use substitution or elimination methods to solve the equations.
- Rearrange the equations if necessary, and isolate one variable.
- Substitute back to find the values of all variables.

Verifying the Solution
- Plug the values back into the original relationships to ensure they hold true.
- Check if the ages make sense based on the context provided.

Example Problem
- If Person A is currently 10 years old and Person B is 4 years old, verify:
- In 5 years, Person A will be 15, and Person B will be 9, confirming that Person A is indeed older.
By following these steps, you can systematically approach and solve age-related problems with confidence.