<PRE><B>Question 1204999</B>
&lt;br&gt;
You have received three responses showing very good and very different solution methods.&lt;br&gt;
Now here is a fourth (using a single variable)....&lt;br&gt;
Let x be the number Ali started with.&lt;br&gt;
He gave 3/8 of them (i.e., (3/8)x) to Baba; the number he has left is (5/8)x.&lt;br&gt;
After Ali gave Baba (3/8) of his sweets, the ratio of Ali&#39;s sweets to Baba&#39;s is 1:2, so the number Baba now has is 2*(5/8)x = (10/8)x.&lt;br&gt;
So before Ali gave Baba some of his sweets, the number Baba had was (10/8)x - (3/8)x = (7/8)x.&lt;br&gt;
Then the ratio of Ali&#39;s sweets to Baba&#39;s sweets in the beginning was&lt;br&gt;
(x):((7/8)x) = 8x:7x = 8:7&lt;br&gt;
ANSWER: 8:7&lt;br&gt;
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