In a shop, some water guns and jigsaw puzzles were on sale. ¹₅ of the items were water guns. ¹₃ of the water guns and 253 jigsaw puzzles were sold. There were ¹₆ of the items left in the shop. How many water guns and jigsaw puzzles were there in the shop at first?

	Water guns	Jigsaw puzzles	Total
Comparing water guns  and jigsaw puzzles at first	1x6 = 6 u	4x6 = 24 u	5x6 = 30 u
Before	3x2 =  6 u		6x5 = 30 u
Change	- 1x2 = - 2 u	- 253	- 5x5 = - 25 u
After	2x2 = 4 u	1 u	1x5 = 5 u

 
The total number of toys at first is repeated.  Make the total number of toys at first the same. LCM of 5 and 6 is 30.

The number of water guns at first is repeated.  Make the number of water guns the same. LCM of 6 and 3 is 6. 

Number of jigsaw puzzles left
= 5 u - 4 u
= 1 u

Number of jigsaw puzzles sold
= 24 u - 1 u
= 23 u

23 u = 253

1 u = 253 ÷ 23 = 11

Number of water guns and jigsaw puzzles at first
= 30 u
= 30 x 11
= 330

Answer(s): 330