SOLUTION: Hi there were 3/4 as many sweets in box a as in box b.1/2 of the sweetsin box a and 3/8 of the sweets in box b were removed. There were then 152 sweets left in both boxes altogeth

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Question 1046149: Hi
there were 3/4 as many sweets in box a as in box b.1/2 of the sweetsin box a and 3/8 of the sweets in box b were removed. There were then 152 sweets left in both boxes altogether. How many sweet s were there in each box at first.

Thanks
Answer by josmiceli(19441) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
(1) +a+=+%283%2F4%29%2Ab+
(2) +a+-+%281%2F2%29%2Aa+%2B+b+-+%283%2F8%29%2Ab+=+152+
----------------------------------
(2) +%281%2F2%29%2Aa+%2B+%285%2F8%29%2Ab+=+152+
Mul;tiply both sides by +8+
(2) +4a+%2B+5b+=+1216+
--------------------------
(1) +4a+=+3b+
Plug (1) into (2)
(2) +3b+%2B+5b+=+1216+
(2) +8b+=+1216+
(2) +b+=+152+
and
(1) +a+=+%283%2F4%29%2Ab+
(1) +a+=+%283%2F4%29%2A152+
(1) +a+=+114+
Box a had 114 and box b had 152 sweets
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check:
(2) +%281%2F2%29%2Aa+%2B+%285%2F8%29%2Ab+=+152+
(2) +%281%2F2%29%2A114+%2B+%285%2F8%29%2A152+=+152+
(2) +57+%2B+95+=+152+
(2) +152+=+152+
OK