Question 635227
  <pre><font face = "Tohoma" size = 3 color = "indigo"><b> 
Hi,
Mary's mother is 3 times as old as Mary's age{{{highlight(x)}}}
 y = 3x is mary's mother's age
Question states*** 4 yrs ago...
  x-4 = (1/4)(y-4)
  x - 4 = (1/4)(3x-4)
    (1/4)x = 3
         x = 12, Mary's age.  Mother is 36.
and... 4 yrs ago
{{{8 = (1/4)32}}}