Question

5years agi the ratio of the ages of a mother and her son was 4:1 and 3years hence the ratio will be 16:7 what is the present age of the mother

Answer 1

let the ages of mother and son 5 years ago be '4x' and 'x'
Present ages are '(4x+5)' and '(x+5)'
Ages after 3 years will be
'(4x+8)' and '(x+8)'

Ratio after three years = 16:7

Therefore
(4x+8) / (x+8) = 16 / 7
7 (4x+8) = 16 (x+8)
28x + 56 = 16x + 128
28x - 16x = 128 - 56
12x = 72
x = 72/12
= 6

Present age of mother = (4x+5)
= 4(6) + 5
= 29 years