The info of James $$ has no relevance in this question except to confuse.  🙂  

Another possibility is a typo.

James has $125.  Eric has 5 times the amount of money as James…….the rest the same…

That means Eric has $625, then Matthew would have  (625-79)/2 = 273.

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Eric               [             125                  ]

                      [ 46 ][         79              ]

                      [u][u]

Matthew      [u] 

125-79 = 46

Twice of Matthew’s money = 2u = 46   => u = 23

Hence Matthew has $23