A container contains some starfruits, pomegranates and oranges. 0.2 of the starfruits is equal to 80% of the pomegranates. The number of oranges is ³₈ of the total number of pomegranates and starfruits. If there are 21 less pomegranates than oranges, how many fruits are there in the container altogether?

Starfruits	Pomegranates	Oranges
4x8	1x8
8x5		3x5
32 u	8 u	15 u

0.2 = ²₁₀= ¹₅
80% = ⁸⁰₁₀₀ = ⁴₅

0.2 of the starfruits is equal to 80% of the pomegranates. Make the numerators the same.  LCM of 1 and 4 is 4.

1x45x4 of the starfruits = 4x15x1 of the pomegranates
420 of the starfruits = 45 of the pomegranates 

Starfruits : Pomegranates
20 : 5 _(÷5)
4 : 1

The total number of starfruits and pomegranates is repeated.  Make the total number of starfruits and pomegranates the same.  LCM of 5 and 8 is 40.

Number of less pomegranates than oranges
= 15 u - 8 u
= 7 u

7 u = 21

1 u = 21 ÷ 7 = 3

Number of the fruits in the container altogether
= 32 u + 8 u + 15 u
= 55 u
= 55 x 3
= 165

Answer(s): 165