Question 159407
A man's boyhood lasted 1/6 of his life, he played football for the next 1/8 of his life, and he married 5 years after quitting football. A daughter was born after he had been married 1/12 of his life. The daughter lived 1/2 as many years as her father. The man died 6 years after his daughter. How old was the man when he died? Use a number line to illustrate the time. Then write an equation and solve it.
:
Let x = the final age of the guy
:
Final age = Boyhood + football + 5 yr married + child's birth + child's life + 6 = 
x = {{{1/6}}}x + {{{1/8}}}x + 5 + {{{1/12}}}x + {{{1/2}}}x + 6
Multiply equation by 24 to get rid of the denominators, results:
24x = 4x + 3x + 24(5) + 2x + 12x + 24(6)
:
24x = 21x + 120 + 144
:
24x - 21x = 264
x = {{{264/3}}}
x = 88 yrs his final age
:
Check solution in original equation:
88 = {{{1/6}}}88 + {{{1/8}}}88 + 5 + {{{1/12}}}88 + {{{1/2}}}88 + 6
88 = 14{{{2/3}}} + 11 + 5 + 7{{{1/3}}} + 44 + 6
:
:
Number line (approximate)
Born +  Boyhood + football + 5yr + child's birth + child's life + 6
0--------------16---------26---31------38------------------------------------------82-----88