There were 113 silver, yellow and blue notebooks in a box. 3 blue notebooks were removed from the box and the ratio of the number of silver notebooks to the number of yellow notebooks to the number of blue notebooks became 2 : 5 : 3. Then some green notebooks were added and the ratio of the number of blue notebooks to the number of green notebooks was 3 : 2.

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

	Silver	Yellow	Blue	Green	Total
Before	2 u	5 u	3 u + 3	0	113
Change 1	No change	No change	- 3		- 3
After 1	2 u	5 u	3 u		110
Change 2	No change	No change	No change	+ 2 u
After 2	2 u	5 u	3 u	2 u

(a)
Total number of notebooks at first
= 2 u + 5 u + 3 u + 3
= 10 u + 3

10 u + 3 = 113
10 u = 113 - 3
10 u = 110

1 u = 110 ÷ 10 = 11

Number of silver notebooks at first
= 2 u
= 2 x 11
= 22

Number of yellow notebooks at first
= 5 u
= 5 x 11
= 55

Number of blue notebooks at first
= 3 u + 3
= 3 x 11 + 3
= 36 

At first
Silver notebooks : Yellow notebooks : Blue notebooks
22 : 55 : 36

(b)
Total number of notebooks in the box in the end
= 2 u + 5 u + 3 u + 2 u
= 12 u
= 132

Answer(s): (a) 22 : 55 : 36; (b) 132