BECE Mathematics 2014 Paper

Concept:Form an equation using the relationship between the father's and son's ages.Explanation:Let the son's present age be $x$ years.The father was $24$ years old when the son was born.So, the father's present age is $24 + x$ years.The father is now three times as old as his son.Therefore, the father's age is also $3x$ years.Equating the two expressions for the father's age:$$24 + x = 3x$$Subtract $x$ from both sides:$$24 = 2x$$Divide both sides by $2$:$$x = \frac{24}{2} = 12$$So, the son is $12$ years old.Answer:The son's age is $12$ years, which is option B.