On Thursday, Will read ⁵₈ of a novel. On Friday, he read 29 pages of the novel. On Saturday, he read ⁵₇ of the remaining book leaving 8 pages unread.

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

(a)
Number of remaining unread pages after reading on Friday = 7 u

Number of remaining unread pages after reading on Saturday
= 7 u - 5 u
= 2 u

2 u = 8

1 u = 8 ÷ 2 = 4

Number of pages that Will read on Saturday
= 5 u
= 5 x 4
= 20

(b) 
Working backwards.

Number of pages unread after reading on Friday
= 7 u
= 7 x 4
= 28

Total number of pages in the novel = 8 p

Number of pages unread after reading on Thursday 
= 8 p - 5 p
= 3 p

3 p = 29 + 28
3 p = 57

1 p = 57 ÷ 3 = 19

Total number of pages in the novel
= 8 p
= 8 x 19
= 152

Answer(s): (a) 20; (b) 152