How many swimmers?
Given the ratios of junior to senior and senior to veteran members, can you work out what the smallest possible number of members in a swimming club is?
Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
Problem
A swimming club has three categories of member: junior, senior and veteran. The ratio of junior to senior members is $3:2$, and the ratio of senior to veteran members is $5:2$. What is the least possible number of members of the swimming club?
If you liked this problem, here is an NRICH task that challenges you to use similar mathematical ideas.
Student Solutions
Answer: 29
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This ratio can't be simplified any further, so the smallest possible number of members is 15 + 10 + 4 = 29