document.write( "Question 931197: the sum of ages of a man,his wife and his son is 85 years. the man is 5 years less than the sum of the ages of his wife and son. before his son was born the man was 6/5 as old as his wife. find the age of the wife \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #565481 by stanbon(75887)\"\" \"About 
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the sum of ages of a man,his wife and his son is 85 years. the man is 5 years less than the sum of the ages of his wife and son. before his son was born the man was 6/5 as old as his wife. find the age of the wife
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\n" ); document.write( "Equations:
\n" ); document.write( "m + w + s = 85
\n" ); document.write( "m = w + s - 5
\n" ); document.write( "m = (6/5)w
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\n" ); document.write( "Using the 1st 2 equations:
\n" ); document.write( "m + w + s = 85
\n" ); document.write( "m - w - s = -5
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\n" ); document.write( "2m = 80
\n" ); document.write( "m = 40 (the man's age is 40 but we don't kow when)
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\n" ); document.write( "When the son was 0, m = (6/5)w
\n" ); document.write( "w = (5/6)40
\n" ); document.write( "w = 200/6 = 33 1/3 (wife's age at time of son's birth if the father was 40)
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\n" ); document.write( "Comment:: Too many \"ifs\" in this question.
\n" ); document.write( "Cheers,
\n" ); document.write( "Stan H.
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