Boys and Girls
Can you find the total number of students in the school, given some information about ratios?
Problem
In September, the ratio of boys to girls in a school was 3:2.
By June, there were 80 fewer boys and 20 fewer girlsĀ in the school, and the ratio of boys to girls was 7:5.
What was the total number of students in the school in September?
This problem is adapted from the World Mathematics Championships
By June, there were 80 fewer boys and 20 fewer girlsĀ in the school, and the ratio of boys to girls was 7:5.
What was the total number of students in the school in September?
This problem is adapted from the World Mathematics Championships
Student Solutions
Answer: 1300
Using letters to represent the 'parts'
Image
Boys: $3a-80=7b$ $\times2$ gives $6a-160=14b$
Girls: $2a - 20 = 5b$ $\times3$ gives $6a-60=15b$
Subtract: $(6a-60)-(6a-160)=15b-14b$
$100=b$
In June there were $7b + 5b = 12b = 1200$ students
In September there were $1200 + 20 + 80 = 1300$ students
Using a letter to represent the number of students in September
Image
September: $\frac35x$ boys out of $x$ students
June: $\frac35x-80$ boys is $\frac7{12}$ of $x-100$ students
$$\begin{align}\dfrac{\tfrac35x-80}{x-100}&=\dfrac7{12}\\
\Rightarrow 12\times\left(\tfrac35x-80\right)&=7\times\left(x-100\right)\\
\Rightarrow 12\times\left(3x-4000\right)&=35\times\left(x-100\right)\\
\Rightarrow 36x-4800&=35x-3500\\
\Rightarrow x&=1300\end{align}$$
Using letters to represent the numbers of boys and girls in September
Image
September: $B:G$ is $3:2$, and so $\frac B3=\frac G2\Rightarrow B=\frac{3G}2$
June: $B-80:G-20$ is $7:5$, so $\frac{B-80}7=\frac{G-20}5$
$\Rightarrow 5(B-80)=7(G-20)$
$\Rightarrow 5B-260=7G$
Substitute $B=\frac{3G}2$: $$\begin{align}5\tfrac{3G}2-260&=7G\\
\Rightarrow 15G-520&=14G\\
\Rightarrow G &= 520\end{align}$$
So $B=\frac{3G}2=780$ and in September there were $520 + 780 =1300$ students.