Weekly Challenge 50: How Old?


Let Joseph be $x$ years old now, Jasmine be $y$ years old now, and me be $z$ years old now.
 
From the given information, we find three simulataneous equations.
 
$x+1=2(y+1) \Rightarrow x=2y+2$
$z+6=k(x+6+y+6) \Rightarrow z=k(3y+13)-6$
$z+m=66=x+m+y+m \Rightarrow z=3y+1+m$
where k and m are some positive integers.
 
From this we deduce: $$66=3y+1+2m \Rightarrow m=\frac{65-3y}{2} $$
We know the two equations: $z=66-m=66-\frac{65-3y}{2}$ and $z=k(3y+13)-6$
 
Equating the two, we find:  \begin{eqnarray*} 66-\frac{65-3y}{2} &=& k(3y+13)-6 \\ 27 &=& y(6k-3) \end{eqnarray*}
 
If $k< 3$ then y is not an integer. So $k=2 \Rightarrow y=3$
 
From this it is easy to find that x=7 and z=38.