Seniors & juniors algebra word problem
Here's a word problem that someone sent me recently: The total number of girls in the combined junior and senior classes is equal to the number of boys in those two classes. If the senior class has 400 students and the junior class has 300 students, and if the ratio of boys to girls in the senior class is 5:3, what is the ratio of boys to girls in junior class? This problem gives a lot of information, and it sounds like it can be solved many different ways. But the first task is to notice what we are given and what we are asked . We are asked about a ratio . We're given one ratio, and all kinds of totals. There are boys and girls , senior and junior classes. In other words, there are four groups: senior boys, senior girls, junior boys and junior boys. This sounds like it can be solved by setting up some equations and using algebra. To start, you could for example notice the two facts given about the senior class: The senior class has 400 students and the ratio of