Slightly Outnumbered
If this class contains between $45$% and $50$% girls, what is the smallest possible number of girls in the class?
Age
11 to 14
Challenge level
Problem
In Miss Quaffley's class, the girls make up more than $45$% of the pupils, but less than $50$%.
What is the smallest possible number of girls in her class?
If you liked this problem, here is an NRICH task which challenges you to use similar mathematical ideas.
Student Solutions
Answer: 5 girls (in a class of 11)
| Girls | Class | % girls |
| 1 | 2 | 50% |
| 2 | 4 | 50% |
| 5 | 40% | |
| 3 | 7 | $\frac37$ = 42.9% |
| 8 | $\frac38$ = 37.5% | |
| 4 | 9 | 44.4...% |
| 5 | 11 | 45.4545% |