Question 128039
let x="girl's present age" and y="brother's present age"


"Five years ago a girl was one-half as old as her brother was then"
__ 2(x-5)=y-5 __ 2x-10=y-5 __ 2x-5=y


"now she is three years younger than he is" __ x=y-3


substituting __ x=(2x-5)-3 __ x=2x-8 __ x+8=2x