document.write( "Question 1146172: 4 years ago i was half as old as my father. Six years hence, I will be three fifths as old as he. How old am I now? \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #767448 by greenestamps(13200) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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\n" ); document.write( "Ages now:
\n" ); document.write( "son x
\n" ); document.write( "father y

\n" ); document.write( "Ages 4 years ago:
\n" ); document.write( "son x-4
\n" ); document.write( "father y-4

\n" ); document.write( "Ages 6 years from now:
\n" ); document.write( "son x+6
\n" ); document.write( "father y+6

\n" ); document.write( "Using those expressions for the numbers in the problem, write two equations that reflect the given information:

\n" ); document.write( "the son's age 4 years ago was 1/2 the father's age 4 years ago: $\"x-4+=+%281%2F2%29%28y-4%29\"$

\n" ); document.write( "the son's age 6 years from now will be 3/5 the father's age 6 years from now: $\"x%2B6+=+%283%2F5%29%28y%2B6%29\"$

\n" ); document.write( "That gives you two linear equation in x and y; solve them by your favorite method.

\n" ); document.write( "Note that the problem only asks for the son's age. Since you don't need to find the father's age (y), choose a method that solves for x first. \n" ); document.write( "

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