There were some apples and pears in Container L and Container M. In Container L, the ratio of the apples to the number of pears was 7 : 1. In Container M, the ratio of the number of apples to the number of pears was 5 : 3. There were 2 times as many fruits in Container L as in Container M. After another 24 pears were put into Container M, the ratio of the number of apples to the number of pears in Container M became 1 : 3. How many fruits were there in Container M in the end?

Container L		Container M
2x8 = 16 u		1x8 = 8 u
Apples	Pears	Apples	Pears
7x2	1x2	5	3
14 u	2 u	5 u	3 u

The total number of fruits in Container L is repeated.  Make the total number of fruits in Container L the same.  LCM of 2 and 8 is 16.

The total number of fruits in Container M at first is repeated.  Make the total number of fruits in Container M the same.  LCM of 1 and 8 is 8.

	Container L		Container M
	Apples	Pears	Apples	Pears
Before	14 u	2 u	5 u	3 u
Change				+ 24
After	14 u	2 u	1x5 = 5 u	3x5 = 15 u

Number of apples in Container M remains unchanged.  Make the number of apples in Container M the same.  LCM of 5 and 1 is 5.

Number of pears put into Container M
= 15 u - 3 u
= 12 u

12 u = 24

1 u = 24 ÷ 12 = 2

Number of fruits in Container M in the end
= 5 u + 15 u
= 20 u
= 20 x 2
= 40

Answer(s): 40