PSLE
Gillian baked some scones. She gave ¹₆ of the scones to her students and 80 to her colleagues. She was left with ¹₂ of the scones. She packed these into 16 boxes. Some boxes contained 5 scones while the rest contained 9 scones.

1. How many scones were packed into the 16 boxes?
2. How many boxes contained 9 scones?

(a)
Fraction of the scones given to her colleagues
= 1 - ¹₆ - ¹₂

= 1 - ¹₆ - ³₆
= ²₆

Number of scones that Gillian gave to her colleagues = 2 u

2 u = 80

1 u = 80 ÷ 2 = 40

Number of scones that were packed in 16 boxes
= 3 u
= 3 x 40
= 120

Number of scones that were packed in 16 boxes = 120

Boxes of 9	Scones	Boxes of 5	Scones	Total scones
16	144	0	0	144
15	135	1	5	140

If all the scones are packed in boxes of 9, the number of scones needed
= 16 x 9
= 144

Small difference
= 144 - 140
= 4

Big difference
= 144 - 120
= 24

Number of boxes of 5 scones 
= 24 ÷ 4
= 6

Number of boxes of 9 scones
= 16 - 6
= 10

Answer(s): (a) 120; (b) 10