What number should be subtracted from each of the numbers \[\mathbf{23},\text{ }\mathbf{30},\text{ }\mathbf{57}\text{ }\mathbf{and}\text{ }\mathbf{78}\] so that the remainders are in proportion?
What number should be subtracted from each of the numbers \[\mathbf{23},\text{ }\mathbf{30},\text{ }\mathbf{57}\text{ }\mathbf{and}\text{ }\mathbf{78}\] so that the remainders are in proportion?

Consider x be subtracted from each term

\[23\text{ }\text{ }x,\text{ }30\text{ }\text{ }x,\text{ }57\text{ }\text{ }x\text{ }and\text{ }78\text{ }\text{ }x\] are proportional

It can be written as

\[\begin{array}{*{35}{l}}

23\text{ }\text{ }x:\text{ }30\text{ }\text{ }x\text{ }::\text{ }57\text{ }\text{ }x:\text{ }78\text{ }\text{ }x  \\

\left( 23\text{ }\text{ }x \right)/\text{ }\left( 30\text{ }\text{ }x \right)\text{ }=\text{ }\left( 57\text{ }\text{ }x \right)/\text{ }\left( 78\text{ }\text{ }x \right)  \\

\end{array}\]

By cross multiplication

\[\left( 23\text{ }\text{ }x \right)\text{ }\left( 78\text{ }\text{ }x \right)\text{ }=\text{ }\left( 30\text{ }\text{ }x \right)\text{ }\left( 57\text{ }\text{ }x \right)\]

By further calculation

\[\begin{array}{*{35}{l}}

1794\text{ }\text{ }23x\text{ }\text{ }78x\text{ }+\text{ }{{x}^{2}}~=\text{ }1710\text{ }\text{ }30x\text{ }\text{ }57x\text{ }+\text{ }{{x}^{2}}  \\

{{x}^{2}}~\text{ }101x\text{ }+\text{ }1794\text{ }\text{ }{{x}^{2}}~+\text{ }87x\text{ }\text{ }1710\text{ }=\text{ }0  \\

\end{array}\]

So we get

\[\begin{array}{*{35}{l}}

\text{ }14x\text{ }+\text{ }84\text{ }=\text{ }0  \\

14x\text{ }=\text{ }84  \\

x\text{ }=\text{ }84/14\text{ }=\text{ }6  \\

\end{array}\]

Therefore, \[6\] is the number to be subtracted from each of the numbers.