A father is nine times as old as his son and the mother is eight times as old as the son. The sum of the father's and the mother'…

Question

A father is nine times as old as his son and the mother is eight times as old as the son. The sum of the father's and the mother's age is 68 years. What is the age of the son?

1. A. 10 years
2. B. 8 years
3. C. 6 years
4. D. 4 years (Correct answer)

Correct Answer

Option D — 4 years

Detailed Solution & Explanation

The correct answer is 4 years.

Key Points

• Let son's age = x. Then father = 9x and mother = 8x.
• Father + Mother = 9x + 8x = 17x = 68 → x = 4. So the son is 4 years old, father is 36 years, and mother is 32 years.
• Verification: 36 + 32 = 68 ✓