In 1940, a correspondent proposed the following question:
A man's age at death was one twenty-ninth of the year of his birth. How old was he in 1900? Choose one:  A) 14  B) 24  C) 34  D) 44  E) 54
He was 44 years old.   From the question you know the man died between 1900 and 1940. We also know his age at death (x) is one twenty-ninth of the year of his birth (29x). If you add his age at death to the year he was born you get the year he died (30x). Only one year between 1900 and 1940 is divisible by 30, 1920 (the year he died). The year he was born can now be found:  1920 * (29/30)= 
<gadget id="calculator"> 1920 * (29/30)</gadget>
<output>1_856</output>
1856. So in 1900 he was   (1900 - 1856)= 
<gadget id="calculator">  (1900 - 1856)</gadget>
<output>44</output>
44 years old.
<result>D</result>
In 1940, a correspondent proposed the following question:
A man's age at death was one twenty-ninth of the year of his birth. How old was he in 1900?