SOLUTION: The ratio of minority students to non-minority students in a given school is 2 to 5. If the school has 420 students, how many are minorities?

Question 884714: The ratio of minority students to non-minority students in a given school is 2 to 5. If the school has 420 students, how many are minorities?
Answer by Theo(13342) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
the ratio of minority to non minority is 2 to 5.
let m = number of minority.
let n = number of non-minority.
you get the following formula:
m/n = 2/5
multiply this ratio by x/x and you get:
mx/nx = 2x/5x
the total number of students is equal to mx + nx which is equal to (m+n)*x
since m+n = 7, we get 7x = 420
solve for x to get x = 60
the ratio of 2x / 5x becomes 2(60) / 5(60) which becomes 120 / 300
the number of minority students is equal to 120.
the number of non-minority students is equal to 300.
the ratio of 120 / 300 is equal to 2/5 so the ratio holds.
the answer is 120 minorities out of a student body of 420 students.

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