Erika spent $150 to buy some boxes of vanilla and cheese macarons. Each box of vanilla macarons cost $5 and each box of cheese macarons cost $6. The vanilla macarons were packed in boxes of 10 macarons each and the cheese macarons were packed in boxes of 8 macarons each. She bought an equal number of vanilla macarons and cheese macarons.
(a) How many boxes of vanilla macarons did she buy?
(b) How many boxes of cheese macarons did she buy?
(a)
Total number of vanilla macarons and cheese macarons is the same.

LCM of 10 and 8 = 40

Number of boxes for 40 vanilla macarons
= 40 ÷ 10
= 4

Number of boxes for 40 cheese macarons
= 40 ÷ 8
= 5

1 set = 4 boxes of vanilla macarons and 5 boxes of cheese macarons

Cost of 1 set
= 4 x 5 + 5 x 6
= 20 + 30
= $50

Number of sets
= 150 ÷ 50
= 3

Boxes of vanilla macarons
= 3 x 4
= 12

(b)
Boxes of cheese macarons
= 3 x 5
= 15

Answer(s): (a) 12; (b) 15