.
Let x be the son's present age. Then the father's present age is 2x, according to the solution.
Since "the sum of their ages ten years ago was 52", this sum is 52 + 2*10 = 72 years now.
Hence, x + 2x = 72, i.e. 3x = 72. Hence, x = = 24.
Thus the son's present age is 24 years.
Then that of the father is 2*24 = 48 years.
Solved.
There is a bunch of lessons on age word problems
- Age problems and their solutions
- A fresh formulation of a traditional age problem
- Really intricate age word problem
- Selected age word problems from the archive
in this site.
Read them and become an expert in solving age problems.
Also, you have this free of charge online textbook in ALGEBRA-I in this site
- ALGEBRA-I - YOUR ONLINE TEXTBOOK.
The referred lessons are the part of this online textbook under the topic "Age word problems".