Five years ago, Vinay's age was one-third of Vikas's age. Vinay is now 17 years old. What is Vikas's present age?
Verbal Reasoning
Problems on Ages
Difficulty: Easy
Choose an option
-
A9 years
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B36 years
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C41 years
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D51 years
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ENone of these
Answer
Correct Answer: 41 years
Explanation
Introduction / Context:A direct “years ago” ratio with one current age given. We work backward to the past and then forward for the other person's present age.
Given Data / Assumptions:
- Vinay now = 17
- 5 years ago: Vinay was one-third of Vikas
Concept / Approach:Compute past ages first, use the ratio to get Vikas's past age, then add the elapsed time to get his present age.
Step-by-Step Solution:
Vinay 5 years ago = 17 − 5 = 1212 = (1/3) × (Vikas 5 years ago) ⇒ Vikas 5 years ago = 36Therefore Vikas now = 36 + 5 = 41Verification / Alternative check:
Check: 5 years ago 41 − 5 = 36; Vinay 12 ⇒ 12 is one-third of 36 ✓Why Other Options Are Wrong:
- 36 is Vikas's age five years ago, not now.
- 9 and 51 do not match the ratio and timeline.
- None of these: 41 satisfies the condition.
Common Pitfalls:Forgetting to add the elapsed 5 years back after using the past ratio; confusing one-third with one-fourth or other fractions.
Final Answer:41 years