Two bowls each contain both some blueberries and some
raspberries. In the first bowl, the ratio of the number of blueberries
to the number of raspberries is $3 :
7$. In the second bowl, the ratio of the number of blueberries
to the number of raspberries is $2 :
589$
raspberries in total, the smallest possible number of blueberries is
, 2026
Pick one
Solution
In the second bowl, the ratio of the number of blueberries to the
number of raspberries is , and
so the number of blueberries is a positive integer multiple of , and the number of raspberries is the
same positive integer multiple of .
For example, there could be blueberries and raspberries, or blueberries and raspberries, and so on.
Thus, the number of raspberries in the second bowl has units digit or .
There are a total of
raspberries, and so the number of raspberries in the first bowl must
have units digit (when the number
of raspberries in the second bowl has units digit ), or it must have units digit (when the number of raspberries in the
second bowl has units digit ).
In the first bowl, the ratio of the number of blueberries to the number
of raspberries is , and so the
number of raspberries is a positive integer multiple of .
The positive integer multiples of
less than that have units digit
or are , and .
If the number of raspberries in the first bowl is , the number of raspberries in the
second bowl is .
If there are raspberries in the
first bowl, there are blueberries in the
first bowl ().
If there are raspberries in the
second bowl, there are blueberries in
the second bowl ().
In this case, the total number of blueberries is .
If the number of raspberries in the first bowl is , the number of raspberries in the
second bowl is .
If there are raspberries in the
first bowl, there are blueberries in
the first bowl ().
If there are raspberries in the
second bowl, there are blueberries in
the second bowl ().
In this case, the total number of blueberries is .
If the number of raspberries in the first bowl is , the number of raspberries in the
second bowl is .
If there are raspberries in the
first bowl, there are blueberries in
the first bowl ().
If there are raspberries in the
second bowl, there are
blueberries in the second bowl.
In this case, the total number of blueberries is .
Thus, the smallest possible number of blueberries is .