<PRE><B>Question 1132373</B>
&lt;br&gt;
in 3 years angelo will be 3x as old as his sister Precy:&lt;br&gt;
{{{a+3 = 3(p+3)}}}
{{{a+3 = 3p+9}}}
{{{a = 3p+6}}} (1)&lt;br&gt;
a year ago angelo was 7 times as old as precy:&lt;br&gt;
{{{a-1 = 7(p-1)}}}
{{{a-1 = 7p-7}}}
{{{a = 7p-6}}} (2)&lt;br&gt;
Set the two expressions for a equal to each other and solve for p:&lt;br&gt;
{{{3p+6 = 7p-6}}}
{{{12 = 4p}}}
{{{p = 3}}}&lt;br&gt;
Precy is 3 years old; 1 year ago he was 2.  1 year ago Angelo was 7 times as old as precy, so he was 14 1 year ago; so he is now 15.&lt;br&gt;
ANSWERS: Precy is 3; Angelo is 15.&lt;br&gt;
If this were a problem on a math competition test where the speed of solving is important, the problem can be solved much faster by logical trial and error.&lt;br&gt;
(1) Choose an age for Precy 1 year ago and make Angelo&#39;s age 7 times that number;
(2) Add 4 years to each of those ages to get their ages 3 years from now and see if those ages have Angelo 3 times as old a Precy.&lt;br&gt;
Precy 1 year ago = 1; Angelo 1 year ago = 7; Precy 3 years from now 5, Angelo 3 years from now 11.  No; 11 is not 3 times 5.&lt;br&gt;
Precy 1 year ago = 2; Angelo 1 year ago = 14; Precy 3 years from now 6, Angelo3 years from now 18.  YES! 18 is 3 times 6.  Their ages 1 year ago were 2 and 14; their ages now are 3 and 15.&lt;br&gt;
That solution takes a long time to write out; but the mental calculations are quick and easy.</PRE>