A packet contained silver, green and white markers. ³₅ of the markers were silver and ¹₈ of the remainder were green markers.The rest were white markers.

1. Find the ratio of the number of white markers to the number of silver markers.
2. There were 176 fewer green markers than silver markers. How many markers were there in the packet?

Silver markers	Green markers	White markers
3x4	2x4
	1x1	7x1
12 u	1 u	7 u

(a)
Fraction of silver markers = ³₅
Fraction of markers that are not silver = 1 - ³₅ = ²₅

Remaining fraction of green markers = ¹₈
Remaining fraction of white markers = 1 - ¹₈ = ⁷₈

The total number of green markers and white markers is the repeated identity.
Make the repeated identity the same by using LCM.
LCM of 2 and 8 = 8

White markers : Silver markers
7 : 12

(b)
Difference in the number of silver markers and green markers
= 12 u - 1 u
= 11 u

11 u = 176
1 u = 176 ÷ 11 = 16

Total number of markers
= 12 u + 1 u + 7 u
= 20 u
= 20 x 16
= 320

Answer(s): (a) 7 : 12; (b) 320