Age word problems
The question
How old is the beech tree?
The elm tree has stood 5 times as long as the beech tree, and the two together are 150 years old.
5 + 1 = 6
5 + 1 = 6
150 ÷ 6 = 25 years
asked:How old is the beech tree?
25 years
- Read it through. One is a multiple of the other, so think in equal parts: the smaller is one part, the bigger is several.
- Added together they are all the parts at once: 5 + 1 = 6 parts in total.
- One part is the smaller age, so divide by the 6 parts: 150 ÷ 6 = 25 years.
- Answer the question that was asked — "How old is the beech tree?" — 25 years.
How it works.
- 01
Read it through. One is a multiple of the other, so think in equal parts: the smaller is one part, the bigger is several.
- 02
Added together they are all the parts at once: 5 + 1 = 6 parts in total.
- 03
One part is the smaller age, so divide by the 6 parts: 150 ÷ 6 = 25 years.
- 04
Answer the question that was asked — "How old is the beech tree?" — 25 years.