SOLUTION: Please help me go solve this word problem: A father is three times as old as his son. Six years ago he was five times as old as his son. How old are they now?

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Question 1000966: Please help me go solve this word problem: A father is three times as old as his son. Six years ago he was five times as old as his son. How old are they now?
Answer by Boreal(15235) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
son is x years old
father is 3x years
3x-6 is 5(x-6), which are the ages 6 years earlier.
3x-6=5x-30, distributing.
2x=24
x=12 years old, son
3x=36 years old, father
6 years ago, the ages were 6 and 30, and that is a five fold difference.