document.write( "Question 23887: Ben wanted to know how old his friend Mr. Stone was. Mr. Stone told him, \"I started school when I was 4-1/2 year old, and I stayed at the same school for 1/6 of my life. I was in the army 1/5 of my life and when I left the army I spent 1/4 of my life as a clerk. Now I have spent 1/3 of my life in retirement.\" How old is Mr. Stone? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #12643 by Sridi(6)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
For such problems, use a variable for the age. Call it x.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Currently Mr. Stone is x yrs old.
\n" ); document.write( "He was 4.5 yrs old when he started school.---- 4.5
\n" ); document.write( "For 1/6 of his life , he was in school ------ \"%281%2F6%29+x\"
\n" ); document.write( "in the army 1/5 of my life -------- \"%281%2F5%29+x\"
\n" ); document.write( "1/4 of my life as a clerk ---------- \"%281%2F4%29+x+\"
\n" ); document.write( "spent 1/3 of my life in retirement ----- \"%281%2F3%29+x\"\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "That was his life to date. whatever he has done in life thus far must = his age.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "x = \"+4.5+%2B+%28x%2F6%29+%2B+%28x%2F5%29+%2B+%28x%2F4%29+%2B+%28x%2F3%29+\"\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Now this is a fraction simplification problem.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "The LCD for 6, 5, 4 and 3 is 60\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "therefore \"%28x%2F6%29+%2B+%28x%2F5%29+%2B+%28x%2F4%29+%2B+%28x%2F3%29+\"\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "is now written as \r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"%2810x+%2B+12x+%2B+15x+%2B+20x%29%2F60%29+which+is+equal+to++57x%2F60+\"\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Plug this back in the first equation\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "x = \"4.5+%2B+57x%2F60\"\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Subtract 57x/60 from both sides.\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"+x+-+%2857x%2F60%29+=+4.5+\"\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"3x%2F60+=+4.5+\"\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"+x%2F20+=+4.5\"\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\"x+=+20+%2A+4.5\"\r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "x = 90 years.
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