Abel and Bernice had 1085 marbles altogether.

Abel gave away 1/3 of his marbles while Bernise bought another 100 marbles. After that, they had the same number of marbles. How many marbles did Bernice have at first? SOLUTION :

Abel

100

Bernise

Originally, Abel had marbles represented by 3 orange bars. Originally, Bernise had marbles represented by 1 orange bar and 1 red bar. Altogether, 4 orange bars and 1 red bar represent 1085 marbles. Each orange bar represents

1085 + 100 = 237 marbles 5

Hence Bernise initially had 237 2 100 = 374 marbles (shown)

A schoolbag weighs 1/3 as heavy as trolley bag. The total mass of all the bags is 3220 kg. The number of trolley bags is 60% as many as the number of school bags. If the mass of school bag is 2 kg, how many school bags are there? SOLUTION: A trolley bag weighs 2 3 = 6 kg Since the number of trolley bags is 60% as many as the number of school bags, it is understood For every 5 school bags weighing a total of 2 5 = 10 kg, there will be weighing a total of 6 3 = 18 kg. If we consider one batch to consist of 5 school bags and 3 trolley bags with a total of 10 + 18 = 28 kg,

60 5 = 3 trolley bags 100

then there will be

3220 = 115 batches altogether. 28

This implies there are 115 5 = 575 school bags . (shown)

Cindy had 3 baskets of apples. She transferred

1 of the apples from basket A to basket B. Next she 7 1 1 transferred of the apples from basket B to basket C. Finally, she transferred of the apples from 8 5

basket C to basket A. Now, each basket contains 112 apples. What was the total number of apples in baskets A and B at first?

SOLUTION :

Basket A

Basket B

112 apples Basket C

112 = 16 apples were transferred from basket B to basket C (equivalent to 1 green unit). 7 112 = 28 apples were transferred from basket C to basket A (equivalent to 1 red unit). 4
After the transfer of apples from basket A to basket B and BEFORE the transfer of apples from basket C to basket A, there were 112 28 = 84 apples in basket A.

There were

84 7 = 98 apples in basket A originally before any transfers took place. 6

98 = 14 apples were transferred from basket A to basket B. 7

There were

112 5 16 = 124 apples in basket C originally before any transfers took place. 4

There were 112 3 124 98 = 114 apples in basket B originally before any transfers took place.

Hence, there were a total of 114 + 98 = 212 apples in baskets A and B at first. (shown)

A bag containing $2 and $5 dollar notes had a total value of $399. 8 pieces of $5 dollar notes were exchanged for $2 notes of similar value. In the end, the number of $5 dollar notes was the same as the number of $2 dollar notes. (a) How many $5 dollar notes were there in the end? (b) How many $2 dollar notes were there at first?

SOLUTIONS :

Number of $5 dollar notes

8 pieces= $40

Number of $2 dollar notes

20 pieces =$40

$399 in total value (a) Let the number of notes for both $5 and $2 dollar notes after the exchange be x each.

Since the total value of all notes remains unchanged, then

5x + 2 x = 399 7 x = 399 , ie x = 57 (shown)

(b) Number of $2 notes in the beginning = 57 20 = 37 (shown)

There are some red and blue marbles in 2 boxes. In box A, there are 4 times as many red marbles as blue marbles. In box B, there are twice as many red marbles as blue marbles. After all the red marbles are transferred from box A to box B, the total number of marbles in box B becomes 400 and there are 4 times as many red marbles as blue marbles in box B. (a) How many marbles have been transferred from box A to box B? (b) How many marbles are left in box A after the transfer?

SOLUTIONS :

Red Marbles Box A Blue Marbles

Red Marbles Box B Blue Marbles

1 unit of red marbles in box B is equivalent to 2 units of red marbles in box A. (a) Number of blue marbles in box B =

400 = 80 5

Hence, number of marbles transferred from box A to box B = 80 2 = 160 (shown)

(b) Number of marbles left in box A after the transfer = number of blue marbles originally contained in box A =

80 = 40 (shown) 2

There were 4 times as many red pens as blue pens in a box, 415 red pens and 46 blue pens were removed from the box. As a result, the number of blue pens became 3 times as many as red pens. How many blue pens were there in the beginning? SOLUTION:

415 Red Pens

46 Blue Pens

Based on the bar diagram above, 415 pens are represented by 2 + 3 3 = 11 orange units and 4 green units. Since 1 green unit is equivalent to 46 pens, then 4 green units = 46 4 = 184 pens 11 orange units are therefore equivalent to 415 184 = 231 pens, ie 1 orange unit =

231 = 21 pens 11

In the beginning, there were 3 orange units and 1 green units representing the total number of blue pens; this is equivalent to 21 3 + 46 = 109 blue pens. (shown)

Warren had a sum of money. He spent $140 on some CDs. He spent albums. He still had

1 of the remainder on some 5

1 of his money left. 3

(a) What was the amount of money he spent on albums? (b) How much money did he have at first?

SOLUTIONS :

$140 on CDs

albums

(a) $140 represents 7 parts He spent

140 = $20 on albums. (shown) 7

(b) Originally, he had 12 20 = $240 (shown)

Miss Lee had 361 muffins and cupcakes. After selling 1/11 of the muffins and 10 cupcakes, she found that the number of cupcakes left was equal to 1/5 of the number of muffins left.

(a) How many cupcakes did Miss Lee have at first?

(b) How many muffins does Miss Lee have now?

SOLUTIONS :

Muffins

10

Cupcakes

(a) Since number of cupcakes left was equal to 1/5 of the number of muffins left, then it is observed that 1 green bar is equivalent to 2 orange bars. Altogether, 11 orange bars, 1 green bar and the blue bar represent 361 muffins and cupcakes, ie 13 orange bars and the blue bar represent 361 muffins and cupcakes. 1 orange bar =

361 10 = 27 and Miss Lee had 27 2 + 10 = 64 cupcakes at first. (shown) 13

(b) Miss Lee has 27 10 = 270 muffins now. (shown)

The ratio of the mass of chicken to the mass of fish was 3 : 5. 16kg of fish was sold to customers. After that, the ratio of the mass of chicken to the mass of fish was 7 : 9. Find the mass of fish at first.

SOLUTION:

BEFORE SALE

Chicken

Fish

AFTER SALE

Chicken

Fish

The mass of chicken remains unchanged throughout the sale and can be represented by 3 7 = 21 sub-units. (or if the number of green units is considered, then it also gives 7 3 = 21 sub-units) Before the sale, the mass of fish was represented by 5 7 = 35 sub-units After the sale, the mass of fish was represented by 9 3 = 27 sub-units Since 16kg of fish was sold, then 35 27 = 8 sub-units represent 16kg, ie 1 sub-unit represents

16 = 2 kg. 8

Hence, before the sale, the mass of fish was 35 2 = 70 kg (shown)

Jack bought 837 big and small vases. He broke 1/10 of the number of big vases and his friend gave him another 47 small vases. Hence the number of small vases that he had now was 1/3 of the number of big vases left. How many more big vases than small vases had he in the beginning?

SOLUTION :

Big Vases

Small Vases

47 If Jack hadnt broken

1 of the big vases and his friend still gave him 47 small vases, then 10

he would have a total of 837 + 47 = 884 vases. Recognizing that 884 vases in fact represent 10 + 3 = 13 green bars in the above model diagram,

1 green bar is therefore equivalent to

884 = 68 vases 13

Hence, in the beginning, he had 68 10 = 680 big vases and (68 3) 47 = 157 small vases; as such, he would have 680 157 = 523 more big vases than small vases. (shown)

Huiling had 160 less marbles than George. George gave 75% of his marbles to Huiling. Huiling then gave 20% of her marbles to George. If Huiling had 192 more marbles than George in the end, how many marbles did Huiling have at first?

SOLUTION:

160

Huiling

George

75% of 20 green units= 15 green units

Originally, Huiling has 5 red units and George has 20 green units. Since she has 160 marbles less than George, each group of red unit.

20 160 = 4 green units represents = 32 marbles more than each single 5 5

After George gave Huiling 75% of his marbles, Huiling now has 5 red units and 15 green units, whilst George has 5 green units.

20% of 5 red units and 15 green units = 1 red unit and 3 green units.

Since this amount is given to George subsequently, Huiling has 4 red units and 12 green units, whilst George has 1 red unit and 8 green units. Since Huiling now has 192 more marbles than George after both exchanges, it is recognized that 192 marbles are represented by 4-1= 3 red units and 12-8= 4 green units; based on the initial interpretation, this is also equivalent to 4 red units plus 32 marbles.

Hence, 4 red units represent 192 32 = 160 marbles, ie 1 red unit represents 40 marbles. In the beginning, Huiling had 5 red units of marbles = 40 5 = 200 marbles (shown)