3/16 of the fruits at a stall are pears. 1/4 of the remaining fruits are oranges. The rest are apples. If there are 585 apples, how many fruits are at the stall??
f = fruits p = pears o = oranges a = apples
(1) $$p=f\cdot \frac3{16}$$
(2) $$o=(f-p)\frac14 \quad \text { or }\quad o = (f-f\frac3{16})\cdot \frac14 = f \frac{13}{16}\cdot \frac 14 = f\cdot\frac{13}{64}$$
(3) $$f = o+p+a$$
$$\small{\text{$
\begin{array}{rcl}
a &=& 585 \\
f &=& o+p+585 \\
f &=& o+p+585 \qquad | \qquad o = f\cdot\frac{13}{64} \qquad p=f\cdot \frac3{16}\\\\
f &=& f\cdot\frac{13}{64}+f\cdot \frac3{16}+585 \\\\
f - f\cdot\frac{13}{64}-f\cdot \frac3{16} &=& 585\\\\
f (1- \frac{13}{64}- \frac3{16}) &=& 585\\\\
f (\frac{64-13-3\cdot 4}{64}) &=& 585\\\\
f \cdot \frac{39}{64} &=& 585\\\\
f &=& 585 \cdot \frac{64}{39} \\\\
\mathbf{f} &\mathbf{=}& \mathbf{960}\\\\
\end{array}
$}} \\\\$$
At the stall are 960 fruits.
pears = 960 * (3/16) = 180
oranges = (960-180)/4 = 195
apples = 960 - 180 - 195 = 585 ( okay )