SOLUTION: 2 1/2 busloads of students are going on a trip, if 3/5 of the students are girls, how many buses are need to take only the girls?

Algebra ->  Percentage-and-ratio-word-problems -> SOLUTION: 2 1/2 busloads of students are going on a trip, if 3/5 of the students are girls, how many buses are need to take only the girls?      Log On


   

Question 937257: 2 1/2 busloads of students are going on a trip, if 3/5 of the students are girls, how many buses are need to take only the girls?
Answer by josmiceli(19441) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
If you doubled the number of buses, but kept the ratio
of ( girls ) / ( total students ) = +3%2F5+, then you have:
+5+ buses
+%283%2F5%29%2A5+=+3+
+3+ of the buses needed for just girls
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Now you have to scale this back down by +1%2F2+
+%281%2F2%29%2A3+=+3%2F2+
1 1/2 buses are needed for just girls
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Suppose there are +10+ students
+%283%2F5%29%2A10+=+6+ girls
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Putting +6+ girls in 1 1/2 buses, I have
+4+ filling 1 bus
+2+ in the +1%2F2+ bus
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That leaves +4+ boys
+4+ boys fill 1 bus
+1+%2B+1%2F2+%2B+1+ = 2 1/2 buses
OK