document.write( "Question 668869: A man is three times as old as his son and six years ago the product of their age was 288. Find their present ages. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #415938 by ptaylor(2198)![]() ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! Let x=son's age; x-6=son's age 6 years ago \n" ); document.write( "Then 3x=father's age: 3x-6=father's age 6 years ago \n" ); document.write( "Now we are told the following: \n" ); document.write( "(x-6)(3x-6)=288 expand left side using FOIL \n" ); document.write( "3x^2-6x-18x+36=288 \n" ); document.write( "3x^2-24x+36=288 divide each term by 3 \n" ); document.write( "x^2-8x+12=96 subtract 96 from each side \n" ); document.write( "x^2-8x-84=0 quadratic in standard form and it can be factored \n" ); document.write( "(x+6)(x-14)=0 \n" ); document.write( "x=-6----------------No good--can't have negative ages \n" ); document.write( "x=14------------------son's present age \n" ); document.write( "3x=42---------------------father's present age \n" ); document.write( "CK \n" ); document.write( "(14-6)(42-6)=288 \n" ); document.write( "8*36=288 \n" ); document.write( "288=288\r \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Hope this helps---ptaylor \n" ); document.write( " |