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Wednesday, April 14, 2010

CHIJ St Nicholas Girls' Sch 2009 P6 SA1 Paper 2 Q18

Sparkles Jewellery Shop sold diamonds, rubies and emeralds. 3/5 of the gemstones were diamonds. There were 168 fewer rubies than diamonds. The ratio of the number of rubies to the number of emeralds was 7:3. After some rubies were sold, 30% of the remaining gemstones in the shop were rubies and emeralds.
a) How many rubies were sold?
b) Find the percentage decrease in the number of gemstones. Leave your answer as a fraction.

Solution


Rubies --> 7/10 of 2/5 = 14/50
Diamonds - Rubies --> 168 (more diamonds than rubies)
3/5 - 14/50 = 168
16/50 --> 168
1/50 --> 168 divided by 16 = 10.5

Rubies + Emeralds (2/5 of whole)
20/50 --> 20 x 10.5 = 210
2/5 of whole --> 210
1/5 of whole --> 210 divided by 2 = 105
(Diamonds) 3/5 of whole --> 3 x 105 = 315


After selling, Rubies and Emeralds make up 30%, while Diamonds make up 70%.
Diamonds 70% --> 315
10% --> 315 divided by 7 = 45
Rubies and Emeralds 30% --> 3 x 45 = 135

(a)
(Rubies and Emeralds before selling) - (Rubies and Emeralds after selling)
--> 210 - 135 = 75

Answer: 75 rubies


(b)

Percentage decrease in number of gemstones

1/50 of gemstones --> 10.5
50/50 of gemstones -> 50 x 10.5 = 525

75 rubies sold
--> (75/525) x 100% = 14 and 2/7 %

Answer: 14 and two-sevenths %


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