Final answer:
To find the age of the boy, we can set up a system of equations based on the given information and solve for the boy's age. By substituting values and simplifying, we find that the boy is 20 years old.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve this problem, let's define the ages of the boy and his sister. Let's say the boy's age is B and the sister's age is S. We are given two pieces of information:
1. The age of the boy is twice that of his sister: B = 2S
2. Five years ago, the boy was 3 times the age of his sister: (B - 5) = 3(S - 5)
We can solve this system of equations to find the value of B. First, substitute the value of B from the first equation into the second equation:
(2S - 5) = 3(S - 5)
Now solve for S:
2S - 5 = 3S - 15
Simplify the equation:
S = 10
Now substitute the value of S back into the first equation to find B:
B = 2 * 10 = 20
Therefore, the boy is 20 years old.