Kate and her Son's Age Puzzle - Solution

The Puzzle:

Kate and her Son's Age
5 years ago Kate was 5 times as old as her Son.

In 5 years her age will be 8 less than three times her Son's age at that time.

Find their ages.


(Puzzle contributed by "Pratibha")

Our Solution:

First draw a table like this one below:




5 YRS AGOPRESENT5 YRS LATER
KATE5x5x + 55x + 10
SONxx + 5x + 10


Now we know that in 5 years her age will be 8 less than three times her Son's age at that time.

So, if we add 8 to (Kate's age 5 years from now), it will be equal to 3 times (her Son's age 5 years from now) and then we can use algebra to solve it!

So:

(5x + 10) + 8 = 3(x + 10)
5x + 18 = 3x + 30
5x - 3x = 30 - 18
2x = 12
x = 12 / 2
x = 6

Now Kate's Present age is 5x + 5
=> 5(6) + 5
= 30 + 5
= 35 YEARS!!

Now her Son's Present age is x + 5
=> 6 + 5
= 11 YEARS!!

SOLVED!



(Solution contributed by "Pratibha")
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