# Math Help - secondery maths

1. ## secondery maths

The sum of the ages of Ann & her father is 56 years old. In 4 years time, her father will be thrice as old as Ann.
How old is the Ann's age?

Anybody can explain this?

Regards,
Chan

2. Hi

Let a be Ann's age and b her father's age
a+b=56

In four years Ann will be a+4 and her father b+4
b+4 = 3(a+4)
b+4=3a+12
b=3a+8

a+b=56
a+3a+8=56
4a+8=56
4a=48
a=12

b=56-4=44

Ann is 12 years old and her father is 44 years old
In 4 years she will be 16 years old and her father 48 which is 3 times 16

3. Hi!

Try to assing names (for example a letter a for age) and then read slow and carefully your wording, looking for relantionships beetwen your knowns and unknowns.

For example age of Ann $A_a$ and age of her father $A_f$, at this moment.

So you know $A_a+A_f=56$

In a four years time, her father will be thrice as old as Ann, you can translate into mathematical lenguage (and this is what science is, simply translates from math to language and viceversa!) $A_f+4=3\cdot(A_a+4)$

And now solve your equations! hope it helps.