Question 1139422


let the age of a woman be {{{w}}} and her son’s age be {{{s}}}

given:
{{{w+s=64}}}
{{{w=64-s}}}.....eq.1
in {{{4 }}}years time the woman will be {{{3}}}{{{1/2}}}={{{3.5}}} times as old as her son:

{{{w+4=3.5(s+4)}}}
{{{w=3.5s+14-4}}}
{{{w=3.5s+10}}}........eq.2

from eq.1 and eq.2 we have:

{{{64-s=3.5s+10}}}
{{{64-10=3.5s+s}}}
{{{54=4.5s}}}
{{{s=54/4.5}}}
{{{s=12}}}=> her son’s age now

{{{w=64-s}}}.....eq.1
{{{w=64-12}}}
{{{w=52}}}=>the woman’s age now

How old were they three years ago? 
{{{s=12-3=9}}}=> son’s age three years ago
{{{w=52-3=49}}}=> woman’s age three years ago