Clara is 2/3 as old as Liz;
Multiply both sides by 3 to clear the fraction
(1)
Maria is 1/6 as old as Clara
Multiply both sides by 6 to clear the fraction
(2)
Use (2) to substitute 6M for C in (1):
(3)
Liz is younger than 21
Use (3) to substitute 9M for L
So Maria is either 1 or 2
If Maria were only 1, then, substituting
M=1 in (2)
But
Clara is in the sixth gradeSo she can't be only 6.
So Maria must be 2
(4) M=2
substituting M=2 in (2)
Normally one is only 11 in the sixth grade, but
Clara could have failed a grade. So Maria is 2,
and Clara is 12.
how old is she (Liz)?Using (4) to substitute 2 for M in (3)
Liz is 18.
Edwin