On Thursday, Valen read ³₇ of a textbook. On Friday, he read 26 pages of the textbook. On Saturday, he read ²₅ of the remaining book leaving 54 pages unread.

1. Find the number of pages read on Saturday.
2. Find the total number of pages in the textbook.

(a)
Number of remaining unread pages after reading on Friday = 5 u

Number of remaining unread pages after reading on Saturday
= 5 u - 2 u
= 3 u

3 u = 54

1 u = 54 ÷ 3 = 18

Number of pages that Valen read on Saturday
= 2 u
= 2 x 18
= 36

(b) 
Working backwards.

Number of pages unread after reading on Friday
= 5 u
= 5 x 18
= 90

Total number of pages in the textbook = 7 p

Number of pages unread after reading on Thursday 
= 7 p - 3 p
= 4 p

4 p = 26 + 90
4 p = 116

1 p = 116 ÷ 4 = 29

Total number of pages in the textbook
= 7 p
= 7 x 29
= 203

Answer(s): (a) 36; (b) 203