SOLUTION: About age problem John rey is one fourth as old as his father next year their ages will total 42 years how old each now???

Since next year their ages will total 42, it means that THIS year the sum of their ages is 40 years. 


Now, what you have is THIS:


    The sum of two numbers is 40 and one number is one fourth of the other.


If you have a fast mind, you will conclude from it MOMENTARILY that father is 32 and John Rey is 8 years old.


If your mind is not so fast, you can write the equation

   x + 4x = 40,


solve it

   5x = 40  ====>   x = 8


and to get the same answer.