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| Question 234487:  five years ago a man was seven times as old as his son. five years hence, the father will be three times as old as his son. find their present age?
 Answer by ankor@dixie-net.com(22740)
      (Show Source): 
You can put this solution on YOUR website! let m = man's present age let s = son's present age
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 Write an equation for each statement:
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 "five years ago a man was seven times as old as his son."
 m - 5 = 7(s - 5)
 m - 5 = 7s - 35
 m = 7s - 35 + 5
 m = 7s - 30
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 " five years hence, the father will be three times as old as his son."
 m + 5 = 3(s + 5)
 m + 5 = 3s + 15
 m = 3s + 15 - 5
 m = 3s + 10
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 find their present age?
 Using the first statement to replace m in the 2nd statement
 7s - 30 = 3s + 10
 7s - 3s = 10 + 30
 4s = 40
 s = 10
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 I'll let you find the man's age, check the solutions in both statements.
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