Question 332939
Betty, Cathy, Isabel, Lani, Alma, and Ursula ran an 800 meter race. Alma beat isreal by 7 meters. Ursula beat betty 12 meters. Alma finished 5 meters ahead of Lani but 3 meters behind Ursala. Cathy finished halfway between the first and last girls. In what order did the girls finish? What werre the distance between the girls?
</pre></font></b>
>>...Alma beat Isabel by 7 meters...<< 
<pre><font size = 4 color = "indigo"><b>
Indicate that with:

A      I
01234567

</pre></font></b>
>>...Ursula beat betty 12 meters...<<
<pre><font size = 4 color = "indigo"><b>
Indicate that with:

U           B   
0123456789012
</pre></font></b>
>>...Alma finished 5 meters ahead of Lani...<< 
<pre><font size = 4 color = "indigo"><b>
Indicate that with:

A    L 
012345
</pre></font></b>
>>...but (Alma finished) 3 meters behind Ursala...<< 
<pre><font size = 4 color = "indigo"><b>
Indicate that with this:

U  A
0123

--------------------

Now redraw them lining up the like letters vertically

   A      I
   01234567

U  A
0123

U           B   
0123456789012

   A    L 
   012345

---------------  Now bring them all down together, keeping the
                 letters lined up vertically :


U  A    L I B
0123456789012


Cathy finished halfway between the first and last girls. 

So we put C in the middle:

U  A  C L I B
0123456789012

So Ursula won and finished 3 meters ahead of Alma,
who finished 3 meters ahead of Cathy,
who finished 2 meters ahead of Lani,
who finished 2 meters ahead of Isabel,
who finished 2 meters ahead of Betty, who finished last.

Edwin</pre>