Elijah, Sean and Carl bought some shortbreads. After Elijah ate ⁴₇ of his shortbreads, Sean ate ⁴₅ of his shortbreads and Carl ate 3 shortbreads, each of them had the same number of shortbreads left. Elijah had 40 less shortbreads than Sean at first.

1. How many shortbreads did Elijah have at first?
2. How many shortbreads did the 3 of them buy altogether? 

	Elijah	Sean	Carl
Before	7 u	5x3 = 15 u	3 u + 3
Change	- 4 u	- 4x3 = - 12 u	- 3
After	3 u	1x3 = 3 u	3 u

(a)
The number of shortbreads that Elijah and Sean each had in the end is the same. Make the number of shortbreads that Elijah and Sean each had in the end the same.  LCM of 3 and 1 is 3.

Number of shortbreads that Elijah had less than Sean at first
= 15 u - 7 u
= 8 u

8 u = 40

1 u = 40 ÷ 8 = 5

Number of shortbreads that Elijah had at first
= 7 u
= 7 x 5
= 35 

(b)
Total number of shortbreads that the 3 of them bought
= 7 u + 15 u + 3 u + 3
= 25 u + 3
= 25 x 5 + 3
= 125 + 3
= 128

Answer(s): (a) 35; (b) 128