If the present age of a man is 3 times that of his son and the sum of their ages

If the present age of a man is 3 times that of his son and the sum of their ages is 48 years, what is the age of the son?

If the present age of a man is 3 times that of his son and the sum of their ages is 48 years, what is the age of the son?

Correct Answer: 12

Step 1: Let the son's age be represented by the variable x.
Step 2: Since the man's age is 3 times the son's age, we can represent the man's age as 3x.
Step 3: According to the problem, the sum of their ages is 48 years. We can write this as an equation: x + 3x = 48.
Step 4: Combine the terms on the left side of the equation: 4x = 48.
Step 5: To find the value of x (the son's age), divide both sides of the equation by 4: x = 48 / 4.
Step 6: Calculate the result: x = 12.
Step 7: Therefore, the son's age is 12 years.

Algebraic Equations – The question tests the ability to set up and solve linear equations based on relationships between ages.
Word Problems – It assesses the skill to translate a real-world scenario into a mathematical equation.