document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1199026>Question 1199026</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Four years ago,a mother was 4 times as old as her son.In 4 years time, the sum of their ages will be 56years .Find the age of the mother when the son was born  </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #832710 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=math_tutor2020><B>math_tutor2020(3817)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=math_tutor2020><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=832710\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> <font color=black size=3><BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = the son's age 4 years ago<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4x = the mother's age 4 years ago\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Fast-forward 4 years to the present day<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x+4 = the son's present age<BR>\n" );
document.write( "4x+4 = the mother's present age\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Then fast-forward another 4 years<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(x+4)+4 = x+8 = the son's age 4 years into the future<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(4x+4)+4 = 4x+8 = the mother's age 4 years into the future\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "These future ages add to 56<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(x+8)+(4x+8) = 56<BR>\n" );
document.write( "5x+16 = 56<BR>\n" );
document.write( "5x = 56-16<BR>\n" );
document.write( "5x = 40<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = 40/5<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x = 8\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The son was 8 years old four years ago.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "His mother was 4x = 4*8 = 32 years old four years ago.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Fast-forward 8 years and the son and mother will be 8+8 = 16 and 32+8 = 40 respectively.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "We can see that 16+40 = 56 to help confirm we have the correct ages.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Since the son was 8 years old when she was 32, we can rewind 8 years to find that the mother was 32-8 = 24 years old when her son was born.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Answer: 24 years old<BR>\n" );
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