catty2004 wrote:
The office of 120 is split between male and female
employees at the ratio of 3:5. If 40% of the
employees are married and 20 of the married
employees in the office are men, how many of the
women working in the office are single?
In your matrix you drew, where are you getting 45 and 75? It just seems like you are pulling them out of thin air.
Note: Above question was posted by RyanP, though I have the same question.
Answer provided was:
the ratio is 3:5, so that means if you divide 120 by (3+5), you will get 15.
Now multiply 3 by 15 and 5 by 15 and you get those numbers (yes, out of thin air though with the help of some math)
Can someone please explain the reason why you can do 120 / by (3+5)? Also any alternative solution to this type of question without drawing a matrix? Thanks!
We know that there is a ratio of 3:5.
We must understand how ratios work to be able to solve the problem.
The minimum number of people in the office is 8 - do you agree? (If not, this is the question to address)
The next possible number is 16, 24, 32, etc ..... 120.
Does this help?
P.S. the matrix/table is the easiest way to solve this question. It is quite a math exercise to solve it with equations.
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