Question

There were some black beads and white beads ina box. The number
of black beads was 2/5 of the number of white beads. After 12 black
beads and 44 white beads were taken out of the box, the number of
black beads left in the box was 2/3 of the number of white beads left in
the box. How many beads were left in the box?

Answer 1

White beads --- w
black beads = (2/5)w

12 black taken our leaves (2/5)w - 12
44 white beads taken leaves w-44

(2/5)w - 12 = (2/3)(w-44)
times 15, the LCD
6w - 180 = 10w - 440
-4w = - 260
w = 65

number left in the box = (2/5)w-12 + w-44
sub in w = 65 to find how many are left