answer to the three generations problem
puzzle answer the three generations problem the grandson is about as many days old as the son is in weeks. the grandson is approximately as many months old as the father is in years. the ages of the grandson, the son, and the father add up to 120 years. what are their ages? answer: let g, s, and f represent the ages in years of the grandson, the son, and the father, respectively. since a year has 365 days, or 52 weeks, or 12 months, the problem can be represented by three equations with three unknowns: 365 g = 52 s (the grandson is about as many days old as the son is in weeks) 12 g = f (the grandson is approximately as many months old as the father is in years) g + s + f = 120 (the ages of the grandson, the son, and the father add up to 120 years) because the grandson's age is g = f/12, the son's age can be represented in terms of f by substituting: s = (365/52)�G s = (365/52)�(f/12) the third equation can now be represented with only the father's age as an unknown: f/12 + (365/52)�(f/12) + f = 120 multiplying by 12, we get: f + (365/52)�F + 12 f = 120�12 20 f = 1440 f = 72 g = f/12 = 6 s = (365/52)�6 = 42 the father is 72, the son is 42, and the grandson is 6 years old.
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