Julia is five years older than her sister Babs, and their ages add up to 31. How old is Babs?

Question

Responses
A 10
B 13
C 16
D 19
E 22

Answer 1

Let's denote Babs' age as \( x \). Since Julia is five years older than Babs, Julia's age can be expressed as \( x + 5 \).

According to the problem, the sum of their ages is 31:

\[ x + (x + 5) = 31 \]

Simplifying this, we get:

\[ 2x + 5 = 31 \]

Now, subtract 5 from both sides:

\[ 2x = 26 \]

Next, divide by 2:

\[ x = 13 \]

Thus, Babs is 13 years old.

The answer is \( \text{B} \) 13.