SOLUTION: a man is now 5 times as old as his son. Four years ago,the product of their ages was 52.Find their present age?

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Question 889435: a man is now 5 times as old as his son. Four years ago,the product of their ages was 52.Find their present age?
Answer by Nigelyul(18) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Let "M" be the age of the man
"S" be the age of the son
M=5S
%28M-4%29%28S-4%29+=+52
MS+-4M+-+4S+%2B+16+=+52
5S%28S%29+-+4%285S%29+-+4S+=+36
5S%5E2+-+24S+-+36+=+0+
%285S+%2B+6%29%28S+-+6%29=0
The possible values would be
A.)5S+%2B+6+=+0
5S+=+-6+
S+=+%28-6%2F5%29
B.)S+-+6+=+0
+S+=+6+
Since age cannot be negative, the son's only possible age would be 6.
Substitute M+=+5%286%29
M+=+30
Therefore, the man's age is 30 years old and the son's age is 6.