Answer:
Laura is 30 years old and Maria is 18 years old.
Step-by-step explanation:
Let x be the present age of Laura and y be that of Maria.
Laura was 3 times older than Maria when Laura had Maria's present age.
Lets say Laura had Maria's present age(y) k years before.Then Maria's age at that time will be y-k where k=(x-y).
Then:
y=3(y-k)
y=3(y-(x-y))
y=3(2y-x)
3x=5y -------1
After two years Laura will become x+2 years old and 2 years ago Maria was y-2 years old. Then:
x+2=2(y-2)
x=2y-6--------2
Solving 1 and 2 we get:
x=30 and y=18
Hence Laura's present age is 30 and Maria's present age is 18.
