Suzy is ten years older than Belly, and the next year she will be twice as old as Billy. How old are they now? Show solution.

I understand there is a typo, so Belly and Billy are the same person. His age is represented as B, and Suzy's as S.

S = 19

B = 9

Step-by-step explanation:

Suzy is ten years older than Belly:

(1)  S = B + 10

the next year she will be twice as old as Billy

(2)  S + 1 = 2 (B + 1)

solving the system of equation (1) and (2):

Making (2) - (1):  

1 = 2 (B + 1) - B - 10 => 1 = 2 B + 2 - B - 10  => 1 = B - 8 => B = 9

replacing in (1) S = 19

the mistake in the pattern is that :

b. the decimal point was moved one too many place values each time

the correct pattern could be made by :

b. moving the decimal point to the right the same numbers of place values as the exponents