Simon had ³₄ as many erasers as Bobby. Bobby had ⁴₇ as many erasers as Winnie. After Simon and Winnie gave 26 erasers to Bobby, Bobby had thrice as many erasers as Simon. Winnie then had the same number of erasers as Bobby.

1. What was the ratio of the number of erasers Simon had to the number of erasers Winnie had in the beginning? Answer in simplest form.
2. How many erasers did Bobby have in the end?

Simon	Bobby	Winnie
3	4
	4	7
3	4	7

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

Ratio of the number of erasers that Simon had to the number of erasers that Winnie had in the beginning = 3 : 7

	Simon	Bobby	Winnie	Total
Before	3x1 = 3 u	4x1 = 4 u	7x1 = 7 u	14x1 = 14 u
Change	- 26	+ 52	- 26
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 Bobby received from Simon and Winnie
= 2 x 26
= 52

Number of erasers that Bobby received from Simon and Winnie
= 2 x 1 u
= 2 u

2 u = 26

1 u = 26 ÷ 2 = 13

Number of erasers that Ashley had in the end
= 6 u
= 6 x 13
= 78