Tommy had to paint some boxes. On the first day, the number of boxes he painted was 10% of the number of boxes that he had not painted. One week later, he painted another 451 boxes. As a result, the total number of painted boxes became 16 more than ³₄ of the total number of boxes. How many less boxes were painted than unpainted on the first day?

	Painted	Not painted	Total
Before	1x4 = 4 u	10x4 = 40 u	11x4 = 44 u
Change	+ 451	- 451
After	4 u + 451	40 u - 451	44 u
Comparing painted and not painted boxes in the end	3x11 + 16 = 33 u + 16	1x11 - 16 = 11 u - 16	4x11 = 44 u

10% = ¹⁰₁₀₀ = ¹₁₀
Painted : Not painted = 1 : 10

The total number of boxes remains unchanged. Make the total number of boxes at first and in the end the same.  LCM of 11 and 4 is 44.

The number of boxes painted in the end is repeated.

33 u + 16 = 4 u + 451
33 u - 4 u = 451 - 16
29 u = 435

1 u = 435 ÷ 29 = 15

Number of less boxes that were painted than not painted on the first day
= 40 u - 4 u
= 36 u
= 36 x 15
= 540

Answer(s): 540