Question 185215
1.It is 12pm.2 people are fishing.If Benoit gives 2 of his fishes to Amelie,she will have 2 times more fishes than him. 
-------------
Number of fish they each start with:
Amelia has "a"
Benoit has "b"
-------------------
After switching the fish the number of fish for each is:

Amelie has "a+2"
Benoit has "b-2"
------
"she will have 2 times more fishes than him". 
---
Resulting Equation:
a+2 = 2(b-2)
a -2b = -6
-------------------------------------
If Amelie gives 4 fishes to Benoit,he will have the same amount of fishes.
Amelie: a+2-4 = a-2
Benoit: b-2+4 = b+2
Resulting Equation:
a-2 = b+2
a - b = 4
----------------
"How many fishes does each have ??
Solve the system of equations:
a - 2b = -6
a -  b =  4
-----------------
Subtract 1st equation from the 2nd to get:
b = 10 (# of fish Benoit has to start with)
b+2 = 12 (# of fish Benoit has at 4 o'clock.
---
Substitute to solve for "a".
a - 10 = 4
a = 14 (# of fish Amelie has to start with)
a-2 =12 (# of fish she has at 4 o'clock.
============================================================================
2.It is 4pm.If benoit gives 8 of his fishes to Amelie,she will have 3 times more fishes than him..How many fishes do they have? 
---
b = 12 -8 = 4 (# that Benoit has after giving 8 to Amelie)
a = 12 +8 = 20(# that Amelie has after receiving 8 from Benoit)
I guess they are saying a = b + 3b; 20 = 12 + 3*4.
But they have a strange way of saying it.

===============================================================
Cheers,
Stan H.