Mary is twelve years old. Mary is twice as old as Helen was three years ago. How old is Helen? 

To determine Helen's current age, let's start by defining the variables and setting up an equation based on the information provided.

1. Let \( H \) be Helen's current age.
2. Three years ago, Helen's age was \( H - 3 \).
3. According to the problem, Mary is twice as old as Helen was three years ago. Mary is currently 12 years old.

The relationship between their ages can be set up as follows:
\[ 12 = 2 \times (H - 3) \]

Now, solve for \( H \):

1. Distribute the 2 on the right side of the equation:
   \[ 12 = 2H - 6 \]

2. Add 6 to both sides of the equation to isolate the term with \( H \):
   \[ 12 + 6 = 2H \]
   \[ 18 = 2H \]

3. Divide both sides by 2 to solve for \( H \):
   \[ H = \frac{18}{2} \]
   \[ H = 9 \]

So, Helen is currently \( \boxed{9} \) years old.

Would you like more details or have any questions?

Here are five related questions you might find interesting:
1. If Mary is 15 years old, how old is Helen?
2. How old will Helen be when Mary is 18 years old?
3. If Helen was 7 years old five years ago, how old is she now?
4. What is the difference in age between Helen and Mary?
5. How old was Helen when Mary was 6 years old?

**Tip:** When solving age-related problems, carefully define your variables and set up equations based on the relationships described in the problem.

Learn how to solve the problem where Mary is twelve years old and twice as old as Helen was three years ago. Find out Helen's current age step-by-step with a detailed explanation. Suitable for Grades 6-8 students.

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