There were 206 silver, pink and green staplers in a box. 8 green staplers were removed from the box and the ratio of the number of silver staplers to the number of pink staplers to the number of green staplers became 5 : 4 : 9. Then some yellow staplers were added and the ratio of the number of green staplers to the number of yellow staplers was 9 : 9.

1. What was the ratio of the number of silver staplers to the number of pink staplers to the number of green staplers at first?
2. How many staplers were in the box in the end?

	Silver	Pink	Green	Yellow	Total
Before	5 u	4 u	9 u + 8	0	206
Change 1	No change	No change	- 8		- 8
After 1	5 u	4 u	9 u		198
Change 2	No change	No change	No change	+ 9 u
After 2	5 u	4 u	9 u	9 u

(a)
Total number of staplers at first
= 5 u + 4 u + 9 u + 8
= 18 u + 8

18 u + 8 = 206
18 u = 206 - 8
18 u = 198

1 u = 198 ÷ 18 = 11

Number of silver staplers at first
= 5 u
= 5 x 11
= 55

Number of pink staplers at first
= 4 u
= 4 x 11
= 44

Number of green staplers at first
= 9 u + 8
= 9 x 11 + 8
= 107 

At first
Silver staplers : Pink staplers : Green staplers
55 : 44 : 107

(b)
Total number of staplers in the box in the end
= 5 u + 4 u + 9 u + 9 u
= 27 u
= 297

Answer(s): (a) 55 : 44 : 107; (b) 297