Maths brain teaser. Fifty minutes ago it was four times as many minutes past three o'clock

Question

Fifty minutes ago it was four times as many minutes past three o'clock. How many minutes is it to six o'clock..?

I have got the solution online but have doubts in it :

There are 180 minutes between 3 o'clock and 6 o'clock. 

Call x the number of minutes to 6 o'clock. 

Then it is 180 - x minutes past 3 o'clock and 50 minutes ago it was 130 - x minuted past 3 o'clock. 

Using the 4 times as many minutes past three o'clock bit we can form the equation 

130 - x = 4x and solve it 
130 = 5x 
x = 26 so yes it is 26 minutes.

According to me :

How it is 4x in above equation , it should be 4(180-x) , and new equation should be 130-x = 4(180-x) , because it says that it was 4 times as many minutes past 3:00 PM.

please explain. according to the solution if it is 4x on the RHS of the equation , then according to me the question is wrong , and should be written as :

Fifty minutes ago it was four times as many minutes to 6 o'clock.

Answer 1

I think the question means $4$ times as many minutes to $6$ o' clock from now.

Answer 2

The figure below may help explain (apologies for the sub-optimal formatting)

Answer 3

it says

Fifty minutes ago it was four times as many minutes past three o'clock

IT means X

WAS means =

FOUR TIMES means 4 *

AS MANY MINS PAST 3 means 130-X

so equation becomes X=4*(130-X); X=104 mins

How many mins past 3 = 130-X=130-104= 26mins

example If a Father's age is 2 times the age of Son and Son's age is 30yrs. then the equation will be X = 2*30; X = 60yrs. Not 2X = 30; X = 15yrs.

Hope this explains the above question.