Riddle Me This....

[KAPital PHINUst]

For all you math majors and algebra buffs, I got a stumper of a riddle for you:

A mother is 21 years older than her son. In six years she will be 5 times older than her son.

Using x = age of the mother and y = age of the son:

WHERE IS THE FATHER?

[naturalrose]

Originally Posted by KAPital PHINUst

For all you math majors and algebra buffs, I got a stumper of a riddle for you:

A mother is 21 years older than her son. In six years she will be 5 times older than her son.

Using x = age of the mother and y = age of the son:

WHERE IS THE FATHER?

in jail?

[KAPital PHINUst]

Originally Posted by naturalrose

in jail?

Nope!

(hint: try solving the math equation first).

Note: You must show your work in order to get credit

[12dn94dst]

x= age of mom
y= age of son

x = 21 + y
(mom is 21 years older than the son)

(x + 6) = 5 (y + 6)
(in 6 years, mom will be five times older than the son)

substitute the known value of x (that's 21+y)
21 + y + 6 = 5(y + 6)

add like terms and multiply to get
27 + y = 5y + 30

subtract 30 from each side
-3 + y = 5y

subtract y from each side
-3 = 4y

divide by 4
-3/4 = y

since we're talking about years
-3/4 x 12 months= -9 months

the father is "inside" the mother

[tld221]

Originally Posted by 12dn94dst

x= age of mom
y= age of son

x = 21 + y
(mom is 21 years older than the son)

(x + 6) = 5 (y + 6)
(in 6 years, mom will be five times older than the son)

substitute the known value of x (that's 21+y)
21 + y + 6 = 5(y + 6)

add like terms and multiply to get
27 + y = 5y + 30

subtract 30 from each side
-3 + y = 5y

subtract y from each side
-3 = 4y

divide by 4
-3/4 = y

since we're talking about years
-3/4 x 12 months= -9 months

the father is "inside" the mother

i support that!

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by tld221

i support that!

Ditto!

What can you put into a barrel to make it lighter?

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by OrigamiTulip

Help! How do you get 49 steps? I've done the math several times, and I keep coming up with 48. I'm so confused

For there to be a middle step there has to be an odd number of steps. So you're short just one. I made the same mistake at first

Originally Posted by christiangirl

Ditto!

What can you put into a barrel to make it lighter?

A hole!

[OrigamiTulip]

Originally Posted by christiangirl

Ditto!

What can you put into a barrel to make it lighter?

A candle.

[naturalrose]

Originally Posted by KAPital PHINUst

Nope!

(hint: try solving the math equation first).

Note: You must show your work in order to get credit

okay lol!!! let me dust my brain off! for some reason i feel like i am about to feel really stupid working this out but since i have no school today...
x=age of mother
y=age of son
So you're saying that the mother is 21 years older than the son? that means that x is 21+y... in 6 years she will be 5 times older then him.. so that means that she is dead or something? but anyway, in 6 years: x+6 will equal y+6 times 5.....(x+6)=(y+6)5 so if you use x=21+y in this equation then you get 21+y+6=5y+30.. and when you let it simmer you get 27+y=5y+30 and then -3=4y so y=-3/4. and since that doesnt answer anything iam going to stop here and say the mother is dead lol

[DSTKellie]

Originally Posted by KAPital PHINUst

For all you math majors and algebra buffs, I got a stumper of a riddle for you:

A mother is 21 years older than her son. In six years she will be 5 times older than her son.

Using x = age of the mother and y = age of the son:

WHERE IS THE FATHER?

This is mathematically incorrect. There is no possible way that in six years she be 5 times older than her son. Even if we count the nine months. The math is off in this equation. I saw the math work and it still is not proven once you solve for x.

[DSTKellie]

Is there a website where that came from??

[DSTKellie]

Ok what a minute I think I'm figuring it out

Is the mother 20.25 at conception (20 and 3 mos.)

In 9 mos she has the baby then she is 21

In six years she is 26.25 in time of conception

Then the boy is 5.25

Got it!! Ok it wasn't even about the riddle anymore for I was trying to figure out the math. LOL

[Infamous12]

Have we found out where the father is in this riddle?? ^^ Probably locked up in some room trying to do a different sort of math... "He was delivered in April...we broke up last July...didn't get back together until........"

[Drolefille]

Originally Posted by Infamous12

Have we found out where the father is in this riddle?? ^^ Probably locked up in some room trying to do a different sort of math... "He was delivered in April...we broke up last July...didn't get back together until........"

Yeah someone answered it already. The father was *ahem* IN the mother as the child is currently -9months old.

[Infamous12]

Originally Posted by Drolefille

Yeah someone answered it already. The father was *ahem* IN the mother as the child is currently -9months old.

Hilarious. Thanks.