PSLE Barbara had a box of yellow balls and gold balls in the ratio 17 : 8. She removed an equal number of yellow balls and gold balls from the box. The ratio of the number of yellow balls and gold balls left in the box became 4 : 1. What percentage of the balls were left in the box?
|
Yellow balls |
Gold balls |
Difference |
Total |
Before |
17x1 = 17 u |
8x1 = 8 u |
9x1 = 9 u |
25x1 = 25 u |
Change |
- 5 u |
- 5 u |
|
|
After |
4x3 = 12 u |
1x3 = 3 u |
3x3 = 9 u |
5x3 = 15 u |
When Barbara removed an equal number of yellow balls and gold balls, the difference between the number of yellow balls and gold balls at first and in the end remains the same.
LCM of 9 and 3 is 9.
Percentage of the balls left in the box
=
1525 x 100%
= 35 x 100%
= 60%
Answer: 60%