Question 329639
The ratio of men to women at a certain company is 5 to 7. How many male employees does the company have if there are 204 employees? 

Us this rule:
If x things and y things are in a ratio of a to b, then in a group of x+y things, x = {{{(a(x+y))/(a+b)}}} and y = {{{(b(x+y))/(a+b)}}}  
 
Here, x male employees and y female employees are in a ratio of 5 to 7, so in this group of x+y, or 204 people, x = {{{(5(204))/(5+7)}}}{{{""=""}}}{{{1020/12}}}{{{""=""}}}{{{85}}} and y = {{{(7(204))/(5+7)}}}{{{""=""}}}{{{1428/12}}}{{{""=""}}}{{{119}}}.  [Or we could have just found one of them,
and found the other by subtracting from 204.]

Edwin</pre>