Question 979465:  a man is four times as old as his  son,in four years time,he will be three times as old. what are their ages? 
 Answer by ikleyn(52903)      (Show Source): 
You can  put this solution on YOUR website! 
 
Let  x  be the man's age now,  and let  y  be the son's age now.
 
 
Then we have an equation 
 
 
x = 4y,
 
 
according to the condition. 
 
 
In  4  years the man's age will be  x+4,  and his son's age will be  y+4.
 
Thus we have the second equation
 
 
x + 4 = 3*(y+4),
 
 
according to the condition. 
 
 
So,  we need to solve this system of linear equations
 
 
 .
 
 
To solve it,  substitute  x  from the first equation to the second one.  You will have
 
 
4y + 4 = 3*(y+4),
 
4y + 4 = 3y + 12,
 
y = 12 - 4,
 
y = 8.
 
 
Thus the son age is  8  years now. 
Then the man's age is  8*4 = 32  years now. 
 
 
The problem is solved.
 
 
 
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