In May, Vanessa and Lee had erasers in the ratio 15 : 8. In June, each of them gave away the same number of erasers. Vanessa then had five times as many erasers as Lee.

1. Find the ratio of the number of erasers Lee had in May to the number of erasers he had in June.
2. Find the ratio of the total number of erasers both had in May to the total number of erasers both had in June.

	Vanessa	Lee	Difference
Before	15x4 = 60 u	8x4 = 32 u	7x4 = 28 u
Change	- 25 u	- 25 u
After	5x7 = 35 u	1x7 = 7 u	4x7 = 28 u

(a)
Since Vanessa and Lee gave away the same number of erasers, the difference in the number of erasers between Vanessa and Lee at first and in the end remains the same.

Make the difference in the number of erasers at first and in the end the same. LCM of 7 and 4 is 28.

Lee's erasers in May : Lee's erasers in June
32 : 7

(b)
Total number of erasers in May
= 60 u + 32 u
= 92 u

Total number of erasers in June
= 35 u + 7 u
= 42 u

Total erasers in May : Total erasers in June
92 : 42 _(÷2)
46 : 21 

Answer(s): (a) 32 : 7; (b) 46 : 21