SOLUTION: A man's age is 6 less than three times his son's age.the sum of their age is 58.how old is the man's age?

Algebra ->  Customizable Word Problem Solvers  -> Age -> SOLUTION: A man's age is 6 less than three times his son's age.the sum of their age is 58.how old is the man's age?      Log On

Ad: Over 600 Algebra Word Problems at edhelper.com


    

Question 1151474: A man's age is 6 less than three times his son's age.the sum of their age is 58.how old is the man's age?
Found 3 solutions by MathLover1, MathTherapy, greenestamps:
Answer by MathLover1(20850) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

let man's age be x and his son's age y
if a man's age is 6 less than three+times his son's age. we have
x=3y-6.........eq.1

if the sum of their age is 58, we have
x%2By=58........eq.2

substitute x from eq.1
3y-6%2By=58........eq.2.....solve for y
4y=58%2B6
4y=64
y=64%2F4

y=16
now calculate x

x=3%2A16-6.........eq.1
x=42


the man is 42 years old

Answer by MathTherapy(10557) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

A man's age is 6 less than three times his son's age.the sum of their age is 58.how old is the man's age?
Let man's age be M, and son's, S

Then we get: M = 3S - 6 ------- eq (i)

Also, M + S = 58____S = 58 - M ------ eq (ii)

M = 3(58 - M) - 6 ------ Substituting 58 - M for S in eq (i)

M = 174 - 3M - 6

4M = 168

M, or highlight_green%28matrix%281%2C6%2C+Man%2C+is%2C+168%2F4%2C+%22=%22%2C+42%2C+years-old%29%29

Answer by greenestamps(13209) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


The path to the solution is easier if you use a single variable....

x = son's age
3x-6 = man's age

The sum of their ages is 58:

x+%2B+%283x-6%29+=+58
4x-6+=+58
4x+=+64
x+=+16

The son's age is x=16
The man's age is 3x-6 = 48-6 = 42

By the way....

"how old is the man?" okay....
"what is the man's age?" okay....
"how old is the man's age?" not English....