THE AGE-OLD PROBLEM (Brain Teaser)

The Age-old Problem

Q. Once, Master Vasant Raj was going to Haldwani in a bus to attend the marriage of his friend dinanath’s son. His son Mahabir Prasad and naughty little grandson Arvind were also accompanying him. Their co-traveller, Dwarka Das, during their cursory talks, asked Masterji, “What subject do you teach?” Masterji replied, “I teach Mathematics.”

Dwarka Das queried further, “For how many years have you been teaching in the school?”

Masterji interjected, “Years!” and began to think. Then he replied, “I have been teaching for 2/3 of my age less 3 years. And, my age today is twelve years less than half of the square of Arvind’s age.”

He continued, “This is my son Mahabir. The total of my age and Arvind’s age is one and a quarter more than Mahavir’s age.”

Then he added, “When we celebrate Arvind’s second birth day, my age was double the age of Arvind’s age plus Mahavir’s age plus 5 years. Have you got it?”

“Now can you calculate the number of years I have been teaching?” Dwarka Das was puzzled. It was really a brain-racker. He kept on thinking over the problem.

Well, would you not like to help Dwarka Das? Then come on. Tell the number of years the Masterji had been teaching. Also tell the ages of all the three.