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Nanyang 2025 P6 Maths Prelim — Paper 2 Q14b Solution

Paper 2 · Q14b · 1 mark · Ratio

Question

After her brother used some red paper clips and some blue paper clips, the ratio of the number of red paper clips to the number of blue paper clips that her brother had left became 6 : 11. What was the least number of red paper clips that her brother could have used?
Answer: 16

Worked solution

  1. Her brother received $40$ red and $51$ blue paper clips. After using some, red : blue $= 6 : 11$. The largest multiple of $6$ not exceeding $40$ that pairs with a multiple of $11$ not exceeding $51$ is $24$ red and $44$ blue. Red used $= 40 - 24 = 16$.

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