Problema Solution

One box has 15 calculatorsˏ there are 144 batteries in one box. one calculator needs 4 batteries. How many boxes of calculators are needed in order not to have any batteries or calculator left?

Answer provided by our tutors

let


c = the number of boxes with calculators, c is integer

b = the number of boxes with batteries, b is integer


c*15 = 144*b


c*3*5 = 2*2*2*2*3*3*b


Greatest Common Factor of 15 and 14 is 2*2*2*2*3*3*5 = 720


for


c = 720/15 = 48


b = 720/144 = 5


we have


48*15 = 144*5


thus one solution is 48 boxes of calculators and 15 boxes of batteries.


We will prove that the solution is


c = 48k


b = 5k


for every non-negative integer k


indeed


48k*15 = 5k*144


720k = 720k


we got identity thus c = 48k boxes of calculators and b = 5k boxes of batteries, for k positive integer is the solution.