SOLUTION: Rahmad had a total of 540 long and short rulers. After selling an equal number of both types, he had 1/3 of the long rulers and 1/6 of the short ones left. What was the total numbe

Algebra ->  Percentage-and-ratio-word-problems -> SOLUTION: Rahmad had a total of 540 long and short rulers. After selling an equal number of both types, he had 1/3 of the long rulers and 1/6 of the short ones left. What was the total numbe      Log On


   

Question 1187293: Rahmad had a total of 540 long and short rulers. After selling an equal number of both types, he had 1/3 of the long rulers and 1/6 of the short ones left. What was the total number of rulers left?
Answer by greenestamps(13203) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


Let x be the original number of long rulers
Then 540-x is the original number of short rulers

At the end, he had 1/3 of the original number of long rulers left, so he sold 2/3 of the original number.

At the end, he had 1/6 of the original number of short rulers left, so he sold 5/6 of the original number.

The numbers of long and short rulers he sold were the same:

%282%2F3%29x+=+%285%2F6%29%28540-x%29

Solve using basic algebra; I leave that to you.

Perhaps start by multiplying both sides of the equation by 6 to clear fractions:

4x+=+5%28540-x%29
....