Age-Related Problems (Quantitative Aptitude)
Introduction
Age-related problems are an important part of Quantitative Aptitude and are frequently asked in competitive exams such as SSC, Banking (IBPS, SBI), Railways, UPSC (CSAT), and State-level exams. These questions test a candidate’s ability to form equations based on given conditions and solve them logically.
With regular practice and a clear understanding of concepts, age problems become one of the easiest scoring areas.
Basic Concepts of Age Problems
Before solving age-related questions, students must understand the following key points:
- Age is always measured in years
- Age increases uniformly with time
- The difference of ages remains constant
- Ratios of ages change with time
Types of Age-Related Problems
1. Present Age Problems
These questions involve finding the current age of one or more persons.
Example:
The present age of A is 5 years more than B. If B is 20 years old, find A’s age.
Solution:
Age of A = 20 + 5 = 25 years
2. Past Age Problems
In these problems, information is given about ages some years ago.
Example:
Five years ago, the age of Ram was 15 years. What is his present age?
Solution:
Present age = 15 + 5 = 20 years
3. Future Age Problems
These involve ages after a certain number of years.
Example:
The present age of Shyam is 18 years. What will be his age after 7 years?
Solution:
Future age = 18 + 7 = 25 years
4. Age Ratio Problems
Questions where the ratio of ages is given either in the past, present, or future.
Example:
The present ages of A and B are in the ratio 3 : 5. If B is 25 years old, find A’s age.
Solution:
Let ages be 3x and 5x
5x = 25 ⇒ x = 5
A’s age = 3 × 5 = 15 years
5. Problems Involving Father, Mother, and Children
These are common in exams and usually involve age differences and ratios.
Example:
The age of a father is 3 times the age of his son. If the son is 10 years old, find the father’s age.
Solution:
Father’s age = 3 × 10 = 30 years
Important Formulas and Tricks
✔ Constant Age Difference
If A is older than B by 8 years, then this difference will remain 8 years always.
✔ Ratio Method
If ages are in ratio a : b and the difference is known:Age=b−aDifference
Questions
Q1. The present age of Ram is 20 years. What will be his age after 5 years?
Q2. Five years ago, the age of Shyam was 15 years. What is his present age?
Q3. The present ages of A and B are in the ratio 3 : 5. If B is 25 years old, find A’s age.
Q4. The age of a father is 4 times the age of his son. If the son is 10 years old, find the father’s age.
Q5. The present age of a person is 30 years. What was his age 8 years ago?
Q6. The present ages of P and Q differ by 6 years. If Q is 18 years old, find P’s age (P is older).
Q7. The ratio of the ages of A and B is 2 : 3. If the sum of their ages is 50 years, find A’s age.
Q8. The present age of R is 15 years. What will be his age after 10 years?
Q9. Ten years ago, the age of a man was 25 years. Find his present age.
Q10. The ages of two brothers are in the ratio 4 : 5. If the younger brother is 20 years old, find the elder brother’s age.
Q11. The present age of a mother is 36 years and her son is 12 years old. Find the age of the mother after 6 years.
Q12. The difference between the ages of A and B is 10 years. If B is 22 years old, find A’s age (A is older).
Q13. The present age of a girl is 14 years. What was her age 6 years ago?
Q14. The ratio of the present ages of X and Y is 5 : 7. If X is 25 years old, find Y’s age.
Q15. The present age of a man is 40 years. What will be his age after 12 years?
Q16. Five years ago, the age of a boy was 10 years. What will be his age after 5 years?
Q17. The present age of A is twice the age of B. If B is 15 years old, find A’s age.
Q18. The ages of father and son are in the ratio 7 : 2. If the father is 42 years old, find the son’s age.
Q19. The present age of a person is 28 years. Find his age after 7 years.
Q20. The present ages of two persons differ by 12 years. If the younger is 18 years old, find the elder’s age.
Q21. The age of a man is 3 times the age of his son. If the son is 8 years old, find the man’s age.
Q22. The present age of a child is 9 years. What was his age 4 years ago?
Q23. The ratio of the ages of A and B is 6 : 7. If A is 30 years old, find B’s age.
Q24. The present age of a person is 35 years. What will be his age after 15 years?
Q25. The present age of a father is 50 years and his son is 20 years old. Find the age difference.
Answer
Answers (Only)
A1. 25 years
A2. 20 years
A3. 15 years
A4. 40 years
A5. 22 years
A6. 24 years
A7. 20 years
A8. 25 years
A9. 35 years
A10. 25 years
A11. 42 years
A12. 32 years
A13. 8 years
A14. 35 years
A15. 52 years
A16. 20 years
A17. 30 years
A18. 12 years
A19. 35 years
A20. 30 years
A21. 24 years
A22. 5 years
A23. 35 years
A24. 50 years
A25. 30 years