Answer:
4 years
Step-by-step explanation:
Let's denote the number of years it takes for the father's age to be three times the child's age as [tex] x [/tex] years.
At present:
After [tex] x [/tex] years:
According to the problem, the father's age will be three times the child's age after [tex] x [/tex] years:
[tex] 44 + x = 3(12 + x) [/tex]
Let's solve for [tex] x [/tex]:
[tex] 44 + x = 36 + 3x [/tex]
[tex] 44 - 36 = 3x - x [/tex]
[tex] 8 = 2x [/tex]
[tex] x = \dfrac{8}{2}[/tex]
[tex] x = 4 [/tex]
Therefore, it will take 4 years for the father's age to be three times the age of the child.