Find the number of marbles each of them had first.

Question

May has 10 fewer marbles than Albert. May has 5 more marbles than Jenny. Albert gives 4 marbles to Jenny. May gives another 6 marbles to Jenny. Jenny has 13 marbles now. 

Answer 1

Albert has m # of marbles

May has m-10 # of marbles

Jenny has m-10-5 # of marbles  (Jenny has 5 less marbles than May)

Albert now has m-4 marbles

Jenny now has m-15+4 marbles

May now has m-10-6 marbles

Jenny now has m-15+4+6 marbles which is m-5 marbles

Jenny has 13 marbles which equals m-5

m-5=13

m=13+5

m=18

Albert had 18 marbles

May had 8 marbles

Jenny had 3 marbles