Albert had ³₄ as many erasers as Oscar. Oscar had ⁴₇ as many erasers as Usha. After Albert and Usha gave 16 erasers to Oscar, Oscar had thrice as many erasers as Albert. Usha then had the same number of erasers as Oscar.

1. What was the ratio of the number of erasers Usha had to the number of erasers Albert had in the beginning? Answer in simplest form.
2. How many erasers did Oscar have in the end?

Albert	Oscar	Usha
3	4
	4	7
3	4	7

(a)
The number of erasers that Oscar is repeated.  

Ratio of the number of erasers that Usha had to the number of erasers that Albert had in the beginning = 7 : 3

	Albert	Oscar	Usha	Total
Before	3x1 = 3 u	4x1 = 4 u	7x1 = 7 u	14x1 = 14 u
Change	- 16	+ 32	- 16
After	1x2 = 2 u	3x2 = 6 u	3x2 = 6 u	7x2 = 14 u

The total number of erasers at first and in the end remains unchanged. Make the total number of erasers the same. LCM of 14 and 7 is 14.

Number of erasers that Oscar received from Albert and Usha
= 2 x 16
= 32

Number of erasers that Oscar received from Albert and Usha
= 2 x 1 u
= 2 u

2 u = 16

1 u = 16 ÷ 2 = 8

Number of erasers that Ashley had in the end
= 6 u
= 6 x 8
= 48