In September 2010, Mr. P made the following statements about his life:
  • I graduated from college and started my teaching career after I had lived 1/3 of my life.
  • My daughter Sarah was born after I had lived another 1/7 of my life.
  • Two years before she was born, my son Michael was born.
  • My daughter Amy was born four years before Michael was born.
  • Another 1/3 of my life passed between the birth of Sarah and the birth of my first grandson James.
  • Then another two years passed before granddaughter Carrie was born.
  • Four years after that, grandchildren Katie and Jackson were born.
  • Then in two more years, grandson Ben was born.
  • Four years after that, in 2010, grandson Stewart was born.


Can you answer the following questions?
  • How old is Mr. P? _____
  • How old is Amy? _____
  • How old is Michael? _____
  • How old is Sarah? _____
  • How old is James? _____
  • How old is Carrie? _____
  • How old is Katie? _____
  • How old is Jackson? _____
  • How old is Ben? _____
  • How old is Stewart? _____


Solution to the Problem:

  • How old is Mr. P? 63
  • How old is Amy? 39
  • How old is Michael? 35
  • How old is Sarah? 33
  • How old is James? 12
  • How old is Carrie? 10
  • How old is Katie? 6
  • How old is Jackson? 6
  • How old is Ben? 4
  • How old is Stewart? 0 Years (he is 7 months old!)


Let x = the age of Mr. P.
Then you can set up the following equation:
1/3 x + 1/7 x + 1/3 x +2 + 4 + 2 + 4 = x
Solving, we obtain 12 = x - 2/3 x - 1/7 x
12 = 4/21 x
so, x = 63 years.


Correctly solved by:

1. John C. Funk Ventura, California