rdiophantus was a famous Greek ancient mathematician.this was curved on his tomb.

Question

Here lies the remains of diophantus.he was a child for one sixth of his life.after one twelfth more,he became a man.after one seventh more,he married,and five years later his son was born.his son lived half as long as his father and died four years before his father.how old was diophantus when he died???

Answer 1

Let x be the age to find out.

 

X = childhood + adulthood + time to marriage + 5 yrs (sons birth) + son' age + 4 years

X.  =.  X/6.      + x/12.        + x/7.      + 5.   +x/2.      + 4.

0 = x/6 + x/12 +x/7 _ x/2 + 9         (transposing x from LHS)

0 = 14x + 7x + 12x _ 42x + 84* 9.      (multiply by 84    Common denominator)

9x = 84*9.    (transpose x terms to,left)

So the age is. 84