PR 4 # 28
 

Lottie and Lucy Hill are both 90 years old. Mary Jones, on the other hand, is half again as old as she was when she was half again as old as she was when she lacked 5 years of being half as old as she is now. How old is Mary?

[spoiler]It seems to me that the only possible age for Mary Jones is 90 years old.
Are we to assume that "on the other hand" means Mary Jones is not 90 years old?
If so then that means Mary Jones is lying or she did a bad calculation.
The other possibility is that in the final question "How old is Mary?", Mary is a different person from Mary Jones in which case Mary can be any age you choose.[/spoiler]

Your calculation is correct. However, you have not taken into account all of the information available. Perhaps you can fine a "better" answer.

[spoiler]
"Lottie" is 90 years old.
"Lucy Hill" is 90 years old.
"Mary Jones" is 90 years old.
"Mary" is of an indeterminate age.
Both Lottie and Lucy Hill are on one hand, Mary Jones is on the other hand.
There is nothing to stipulate that the names are for people so perhaps they could be affectionate for something else?
Perhaps the "hands" are referring to a clock?
[/spoiler]
I think I don't understand the question.

[spoiler] Mary is as old as the Hills [/spoiler]

[QUOTE="Wacky"][spoiler]Mary is as old as the Hills[/spoiler][/QUOTE]Aw, no fair, you should have said [spoiler]Lottie [b]Hill[/b] and Lucy Hill[/spoiler] in the original question.