Elmer, the circus Elephant, is currently three times older than Leo, t

Is the answer B?
- Now: Leo is x years old, El is 3x years old
- 5 years later: Leo is x+5, El is 3x+5 and is 2 ( x+5) ( twice Leo's age)/
=> x=5 => El is 3.5 years old = 15

3 times older THAN L, so E= 4L
L+5=.5(5+E)
E=10
Answer A.

Answer = B) 15

Elmer ......................... Leo

x ................................ \(\frac{x}{3}\) (Current ages)

x+5 ......................... \(\frac{x}{3} + 5\) (5 years onward)

Given that after 5 years, Leo the circus Lion will be exactly half as old as Elmer, the circus Elephant

Setting up the equation

\(\frac{1}{2} (x+5) = \frac{x}{3} + 5\)

\(x - \frac{2x}{3} = 10 - 5\)

x = 5*3 = 15

Let current age of elephant be e and lion be l

e = 3l
e+5 = 2(l+5)

l = 5
e = 15

Strictly mathematically, three times more would mean 4x but in regular parlance, 3 times older means 3x. So usually, in questions, when people come across 'three time more', they write it as 3x. Hopefully, GMAT will word the questions in a way to avoid this contradiction.

Now, solving the question taking regular parlance into consideration,
"Elmer, the circus Elephant, is currently three times older than Leo, the circus Lion. "

Elmer = 3*Leo
Usually, ages are integers so there is a good possibility that the age of Elmer is 15 (the only option that is a multiple of 3).
Then age of Leo would be 5. In 5 yrs, Elmer would be 20 and Leo would be 10 - so Leo would be half as old as Elmer.
Answer (B)

Let us consider Leo's current age is X
Elmer's current age = 3X ( Because Elmer is currently three times older than Leo)

After 5 years,

Age of Leo= X+5
Age of Elmer = 3X+5

As per question, after 5 years, Leo will be exactly half as old as Elmer.

X+5= 1/2(3X+5)

Solve above equation for X,
X= 5
Elmer's current age is 3*5=15

Answer: B

Elmer (E) is 3 times older than Leo(L) => E = 3L
Elmer's age 5 years from now = E+5
Leo's age 5 years from now = L+5
after 5 years Leo will be exactly half as old as Elmer => L+5 = (E+5)/2
substituting the value of L we get E/3 + 5 = (E+5)/2 => E=15

Answer B

Present Age of Elmer = E
Present Age Leo = L

Given that E=3L

Also After 5 years Leo's age becomes half of Elmer.

(E+5)/2=(L+5)
E=2L+5
L=5;since E=3L So E=15


Answer B

The correct answer is B.

Check other Age Problems HERE.

Set up equations.
E=3L
(L+5) = ½(E+5)

Solve.
L+5 = ½(3L+5)
L+5 = 1.5L + 2.5
2.5 = 0.5L
L=5 years old

E= (3)(5) = 15 years old
Answer: B

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