Howard, Tommy and Jack bought some puffs. After Howard ate ²₇ of his puffs, Tommy ate ¹₂ of his puffs and Jack ate 9 puffs, each of them had the same number of puffs left. Howard had 30 less puffs than Tommy at first.

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

	Howard	Tommy	Jack
Before	7 u	2x5 = 10 u	5 u + 9
Change	- 2 u	- 1x5 = - 5 u	- 9
After	5 u	1x5 = 5 u	5 u

(a)
The number of puffs that Howard and Tommy each had in the end is the same. Make the number of puffs that Howard and Tommy each had in the end the same.  LCM of 5 and 1 is 5.

Number of puffs that Howard had less than Tommy at first
= 10 u - 7 u
= 3 u

3 u = 30

1 u = 30 ÷ 3 = 10

Number of puffs that Howard had at first
= 7 u
= 7 x 10
= 70 

(b)
Total number of puffs that the 3 of them bought
= 7 u + 10 u + 5 u + 9
= 22 u + 9
= 22 x 10 + 9
= 220 + 9
= 229

Answer(s): (a) 70; (b) 229