SOLUTION: There are 4 people in Sam's family. The sum of their ages is 73. Sam's father is 3 years older than his mother. Sam's sister is 2 years younger than him. But 4 years ago the sum of

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Question 1119685: There are 4 people in Sam's family. The sum of their ages is 73. Sam's father is 3 years older than his mother. Sam's sister is 2 years younger than him. But 4 years ago the sum of the ages of everyone in Sam's family was 58.
How old are each of them now
Sam's father is ?
Sam's mother is ?
Sam is ?
Sam's sister is ?
Found 2 solutions by greenestamps, ikleyn:
Answer by greenestamps(13200)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!


The given information is inconsistent, so the problem as stated can't be solved.

If the sum of their current ages is 73, then the sum of their ages 4 years ago must be 73-4*4 = 73-16 = 57; but the problem says that sum is 58.
Answer by ikleyn(52803)   (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
.
The difference 73 - 58   is  15 instead of expected 4*4 = 16.


It means that the youngest member of the family - the sister, is only 3 years old.


Then Sam is 3+2 = 5 years old.


Now we know that 


Father + Mother = 73 - 3 - 5 = 65,    and

Father - Mother =  3.


By adding the last two equations, you get  2*Father = 65+3 = 68  ====>  Father is 68/2 = 34 years old.


Then the Mother is  34-3 = 31 years old.

Solved.


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