There were 167 purple, green and yellow notebooks in a box. 14 yellow notebooks were removed from the box and the ratio of the number of purple notebooks to the number of green notebooks to the number of yellow notebooks became 2 : 4 : 3. Then some pink notebooks were added and the ratio of the number of yellow notebooks to the number of pink notebooks was 3 : 4.

1. What was the ratio of the number of purple notebooks to the number of green notebooks to the number of yellow notebooks at first?
2. How many notebooks were in the box in the end?

	Purple	Green	Yellow	Pink	Total
Before	2 u	4 u	3 u + 14	0	167
Change 1	No change	No change	- 14		- 14
After 1	2 u	4 u	3 u		153
Change 2	No change	No change	No change	+ 4 u
After 2	2 u	4 u	3 u	4 u

(a)
Total number of notebooks at first
= 2 u + 4 u + 3 u + 14
= 9 u + 14

9 u + 14 = 167
9 u = 167 - 14
9 u = 153

1 u = 153 ÷ 9 = 17

Number of purple notebooks at first
= 2 u
= 2 x 17
= 34

Number of green notebooks at first
= 4 u
= 4 x 17
= 68

Number of yellow notebooks at first
= 3 u + 14
= 3 x 17 + 14
= 65 

At first
Purple notebooks : Green notebooks : Yellow notebooks
34 : 68 : 65

(b)
Total number of notebooks in the box in the end
= 2 u + 4 u + 3 u + 4 u
= 13 u
= 221

Answer(s): (a) 34 : 68 : 65; (b) 221