Hilda purchased a bottle of passion fruit syrup to make drinks. She used ²₅ of the syrup in January. She then used the remaining syrup in February and March in the ratio 3 : 5. Given that the amount of the passion fruit syrup used in January was 0.49 ℓ more than that in February, how many millilitres of passion fruit syrup did the bottle contain at first?

January	February	March	Total
2x8	3x8		5x8
	3x3	5x3
16 u	9 u	15 u	40 u

Total volume of February and March is combined repeated identity.  Make the total volume of February and March the same.  LCM of 3 and 8 is 24.

Volume of more passion fruit syrup in the bottle used in January than February
= 16 u - 9 u
= 7 u

7 u = 0.49 

1 u = 0.49 ÷ 7 = 0.07

Amount of passion fruit syrup in the bottle at first
= 40 u
= 40 x 0.07
= 2.8 ℓ

1 ℓ = 1000 mℓ

Amount of passion fruit syrup in the bottle at first
= 2.8 x 1000
= 2800 mℓ

Answer(s): 2800 mℓ