SOLUTION: Please help me solve this word problem: My wife is six times as old as my son. In four years his age will be one fourth of hers. How old are they?

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Question 670547: Please help me solve this word problem: My wife is six times as old as my son. In four years his age will be one fourth of hers. How old are they?
Answer by josmiceli(19441) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let +w+ = wife's age now
Let +s+ = Son's age now
given:
(1) +w+=+6s+
(2) +s+%2B+4+=+%281%2F4%29%2A%28+w+%2B+4+%29+
---------------------------
(2) +4%2A%28+s+%2B+4+%29+=+w+%2B+4+
(2) +4s+%2B+16+=+w+%2B+4+
Substitute (1) into (2)
(2) +4s+%2B+16+=+6s+%2B+4+
(2) +2s+=+16+-+4+
(2) +2s+=+12+
(2) +s+=+6+
and
(1) +w+=+6s+
(1) +w+=+6%2A6+
(2) +w+=+36+
The wife is 36 and the Son is 6
check:
(2) +s+%2B+4+=+%281%2F4%29%2A%28+w+%2B+4+%29+
(2) +6+%2B+4+=+%281%2F4%29%2A%28+36+%2B+4+%29+
(2) +10+=+%281%2F4%29%2A40+
(2) +40+=+40+
OK