document.write( "Question 587274: Father: When I was your age, you were 3 years old.\r
\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "Son: When I reach your age, you will be 63 years old.\r
\n" );
document.write( "\n" );
document.write( "What is the father's present age? \n" );
document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #374043 by Edwin McCravy(20060)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! Father: When I was your age, you were 3 years old.\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Son: When I reach your age, you will be 63 years old.\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \r\n" ); document.write( "Suppose the Father is x years older than the son.\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "Then x years ago the Father was the Son's present age, and the son was 3. \r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "F - x = S\r\n" ); document.write( "S - x = 3\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "And x years from now the son will be the father's age and the father will\r\n" ); document.write( "be 63.\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "S + x = F\r\n" ); document.write( "F + x = 63\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "So we have this system:\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "F - x = S\r\n" ); document.write( "S - x = 3\r\n" ); document.write( "S + x = F\r\n" ); document.write( "F + x = 63\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "The first and third equations are equivalent so we can ignore the\r\n" ); document.write( "third equation:\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "F - x = S\r\n" ); document.write( "S - x = 3\r\n" ); document.write( "F + x = 63\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "Solve that system and you'll get F = 43, S = 23, x = 20\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "Checking: 20 years ago the father was 43-20 or 23, which is the son's present\r\n" ); document.write( "age. 20 years ago the son was 23-20 or 3. 20 years from now the son will\r\n" ); document.write( "be 23+20 or 43, the Father's present age, and 20 years from now the father will be 43+20 or 63.\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "Edwin\n" ); document.write( " |