42.--THE FAMILY AGES.

When the Smileys recently received a visit from the favourite uncle, the

fond parents had all the five children brought into his presence. First

came Billie and little Gertrude, and the uncle was informed that the boy

was exactly twice as old as the girl. Then Henrietta arrived, and it was

pointed out that the combined ages of herself and Gertrude equalled

twice the age of Billie. Then Charlie came running in, and somebody

remarked that now the combined ages of the two boys were exactly twice

the combined ages of the two girls. The uncle was expressing his

astonishment at these coincidences when Janet came in. "Ah! uncle," she

exclaimed, "you have actually arrived on my twenty-first birthday!" To

this Mr. Smiley added the final staggerer: "Yes, and now the combined

ages of the three girls are exactly equal to twice the combined ages of

the two boys." Can you give the age of each child?

Amusements in Mathematics · 第 56 / 970 题