Dylan had three boxes, containing a total of 480 styrofoam bowls. The number of styrofoam bowls in Box Q to the total number of styrofoam bowls was 3 : 8. He sold 272 styrofoam bowls from Box R and sold ¹₃ of the styrofoam bowls in Box S. The number of styrofoam bowls left in Box R to the number of styrofoam bowls left in Box S was 2 : 1. How many styrofoam bowls were there in Box R at first?

	Box Q	Box R	Box S	Total
Before	3 u	5 u (300)		8 u (480)
		4 p + 272	3 p
Change		- 272	- 1 p
			2 p
After		2x2 = 4 p	1x2 = 2 p

8 u = 480
1 u = 480 ÷ 8 = 60

Number of styrofoam bowls in Box R and Box S at first
= 5 u
= 5 x 60
= 300

The number of bowls left in S is the repeated identity.
LCM of 1 and 2 = 2

4 p + 272 + 3 p = 300
4 p + 3 p = 300 - 272
7 p = 28

1 p = 28 ÷ 7 = 4

Number of bowls in Box R at first
= 4 p + 272
= 4 x 4 + 272
= 16 + 272
= 288

Answer(s):288