MAY 23 2022: ALGEBRA 1
SOLUTIONS
NUMBER AND DIGIT, AGE, MIXTURE,
WORK, AND CLOCK
WORDED PROBLEMS
II. AGE PROBLEMS
1. Let
x = the doctor’s present age
the doctor’s age 8 years ago equals
two – thirds his age 13 years hence.
x – 8 = (2/3) (x + 13)
Solving for x, we have x = 50. The
doctor is 50 yrs old now.
2. Let
x = the father’s age now
y = the son’s age now
Two years ago, the father was four
times as old as his son.
x – 2 = 4(y – 2) (1)
In 3 years, the father is three times
as old as his son.
x + 3 = 3(y + 3) (2)
Solving the equations
simultaneously, we obtain x = 42
and y = 12. When the son was born,
the father was only 42 – 12 = 30
years old. The answer 30
3. Let
x = number of years when Elmer’s
age becomes twice his daughter’s
age
In x years, Elmer will be “36 + x”
years old and his daughter will be “8
+ x” years old. Elmer’s age at that
time will be twice his daughter’s
age.
36 + x = 2(8 + x) x = 20
Twenty years from now, Elmer will
be twice as old as his daughter. The
answer is 20
4. Let
x = years, Allan will be “28 + x” years
old and his son will be “x” years old.
Allan’s age at that time will be thrice
his son’s age.
28 + x = 3x x = 14
Fourteen years from now, Allan will
be thrice as old as his son. The
answer is 14
5. Let
x = the mother’s present age
y = the daughter’s present age
The quotient of the ages of the
mother and her daughter is 2 with
remainder 5.
x/y = 2 + (5/y)
x = 2y + 5 (1)
Five years ago, the mother was
thrice as old as her daughter then,
x – 5 = 3(y – 5) (2)
Solving the equation simultaneously,
we have x = 35 and y = 15. The
mother is now 35 years old.
6. Let
x = Gilbert’s present age
y = father’s present age
At present, Gilbert’s age is 30% of
his father’s age.
x = 0.30y (1)
Thirty years from now, Gilbert’s age
will be 60% of his father’s age.
x + 30 = 0.60(y + 30) (2)
Solving the equations, we have x =
12 and y = 40. Gilbert is now 12
years old.
7. Let
x = the boy’s present age
y = the girl’s present age
Two years ago, the ratio of the ages
of the boy and the girl was 3 is to 4.
(x – 2) / (y – 2) = ¾
4(x – 2) = 3(y – 2) (1)
In 8 years, their ages will be in the
ratio 4 is to 5.
(x + 8) / (y + 8) = 4/5
5(x + 8) = 4(y + 8) (2)
Solving the equation, we have x = 32
and y =42. The sum of their ages is
32 + 42 = 74. The answer is 74.
8. Let
x = Richard’s present age
y = Paul’s present age
Richard is 5 years older than Paul.
x=y+5
The product of their ages is 21 years
less than 15 times the sum of their
ages.
xy = 15(x + y) – 21
y2 – 25y – 54 = 0
the roots are y = 27 and y = -2.
Taking y = 27, then x = 32. Paul is 27
years old now.
9. Let
x = Ryan’s present age
y = Jake’s present age
Ryan is 5 years older than Jake.
x=y+5 (1)
In 5 years, the product of their ages
will be 1.5 times the product of their
present ages.
(x + 5)(y + 5) = 1.5xy (2)
Substituting x from (1) into (2) the
simplying, we obtain
(y + 5 + 5)(y + 5) = 1.5(y +5)y
y +10 = 1.5y
y = 20
Jake is now 20 years old.
10. Let
x = Noel’s present age
y = Dennis’ present age
z = Hilda’s present age
Noel is 5 years older than Dennis
x=y+5 (1)
Noel is 10 years younger than Hilda
x = z – 10 (2)
In 8 years, their combined ages will
be 65.
(x + 8) + (y + 8) + (z + 8) = 65
x + y + z = 41
From (1) and (2), expressing y and z
in terms of x then substituting them
into (3), we obtain
x + (x – 5) + (x + 10) = 41
x =12
Noel is now 12 years old
11. Let
x = the boy’s present age
y = the boy’s brother’s present age
z = the boy’s sister’s present age.
The boy is one – half as his brother.
x = y/2 (1)
The boy is 6 years younger than his
sister.
x=z–6 (2)
From (1) and (2), expressing y and z
in terms of x then substituting them
into (3), we obtain
x + 2x + (x + 6) = 38 x = 8
the boy is 8 years old
12. Let
x = Sheryl’s present age
y = Pinky’s present age
z = Roy’s present age
Twenty-two years ago, Sheryl was
twice as old as Pinky.
x – 22 = 2(y – 22) (1)
In that same year, Sheryl was eight
times as old as Roy.
x – 22 = 8(z – 22) (2)
 The sum of their ages at that time
was 26.
(x – 22) + (y – 22) + (z – 22) = 26
x + y + z = 92 (3)
From (1) and (2), expressing y and z
in terms of x then substituting them
into (3), we obtain
x + [((x-22) / 2 ) + 22 ] + [((x-22) / 8 )
+ 22 ] = 92
Solving for x, we get x = 38. It follows
that y = 30 and z = 24. Thus, Pinky is
30 years old
13. Let
x = the present age of A
y = the present age of B
z = the present age of C
A is 50% older than B.
x = 1.5y (1)
A is 40% younger than C. This means
A is 60% as old as C.
x = 0.60z (2)
The sum of their ages is 110
x + y + z = 110
From (1) and (2), expressing y and z
in terms of x then substituting them
into (3), we obtain
x + (x/1.5) + (x/0.60) = 110 x = 33
A is now 33 years old
14. Let
P = the sum of the parents’ ages
C = the sum of the children’s ages
n = the number of children
The sum of the parents’ ages is twice
the sum of their children’s ages.
P = 2C (1)
Four years ago, the sum of the
parents’ ages was thrice the sum of
their children’s ages.
P – 2(4) = 3 (C – 4n) (2)
In 16 years, the sum of the ages of
the parents and their children will be
equal.
P + 2(16) = C + 16n (3)
Substituting P from (1) into (2) then
simplying, we obtain
2C – 8 = 3C – 12n
C = 12n – 8 (A)
Substituting P from (1) into (3) then
simplying, we obtain
2C + 32 = C + 16n
C = 16n – 32 (B)
Solving (A) and (B) simultaneously,
we obtain n = 6. There are 6 children
in the family
15. Let
A = the father’s present age
B = the mother’s present age
C = the present age of the first child
D = the present age of the second
child
E = the present age of the third child
The sum of the ages of the parents
and three children is 9 decades over
a century
A + B + C + D + E = 190 (1)
The father is twice as old as the
eldest child
A = 2C (2)
When the eldest child was born, the
sum of the parents’ ages was 54.
The father was then A – C years old
and the mother was B – C years old.
(A – C) + (B – C) = 54
A + B – 2C = 54 (3)
When the youngest child was born,
the sum of the parents ages was 70.
The father was the A – E years old
and the mother was B – E years old.
(A – E) + (B – E) = 70
A + B – 2E = 70 (4)
In 38 years, the sum of the parents
ages will be equal to the sum of the
children’s ages
(A + 38) + (B + 38) = (C + 38) + (D +
38) + (E + 38)
A + B + C + D + E = 38 (5)
The second child is now 24 years old.
16. Let (x/6) + (x/12) + (x + 7) + 5 + (x/2) + 4
x = the man’s age when he died =x x = 84
y = the first child’s age when the (84/6) + (84/12) + (84/7) + 5 = 38
man died
z = the second child’s age when the 18. Let
man died x = Jun’s present age
When the man was at his midlife, his Was Is
first child was born. The man at that Peter X 36
time was x – y years old and is equal Jun x/2 x
to half of his life. The time elapsed for Peter and for
x – y = x/2 Jun are equal.
x = 2y (1) 36 – x = x – (x/2) x = 24
The man was 2/3 of his life when his The answer is 24.
second child was born. The man at
that time was x – z years old and is 19. Let
equal to 2/3 of his life. x = John’s present age
x – z = (2/3)(x) y = Paul’s present age
x = 3z (2) a = Paul’s age in the past
When the man died, the sum of his b = John’s age in the past
children’s ages is 60. Was Is Will
y + z = 60 (3) John y x b
From (1) and (2), expressing y and z Paul a y x
in terms of x then substituting them The time elapsed for John and for
into (3), we obtain Paul are equal. When John was as
(x/2) + (x/3) = 60 x = 72 old as Paul now, Paul was
The man lived for 72 years x–y=y–a
a = 2y – x
17. Let The sum of their ages in the past
x = the age of Diophantus when he was 51.
died y + a = 51
Diophantus passed the sixth of his y + (2y – x ) = 51
life in childhood, a twelfth in 3y – x = 51 (1)
adolescence, and a seventh more as When Paul will be as old as John is
a bachelor. From this fact, he was now, John will
then b–x=x–y
(x/6) + (x/12) + (x + 7) b = 2x – y
Five years after he got married, a The sum of their ages in the future
son was born to him. He was then will be 103.
(x/6) + (x/12) + (x + 7) + 5 b + x = 103
Diophantus’ son lived at ½ of his (2x – y) + x = 103
father’s age. When son died, 3x – y = 103 (2)
Diophantus was
(x/6) + (x/12) + (x + 7) + 5 + (x/2)
Four years after, Diophantus died.
 Solving the equations, we have x =
45 and y = 32. John is older than
Paul by 45 – 32 = 13 years

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