the ratio of red counters to blue counters 9:11. There are y blue counters. express the number of red counters in terms of y

Question

 the ratio of red counters to blue counters 9:11. There are y blue counters. express the number of red counters in terms of y

Answer 1

Hi Isabelle,

 

In order to solve this problem, we need to first find out how many red counters we would have if we have 1 blue counter

 

You can represent the ratio of red counters to blue counters, being 9:11, as 

9 red counters=11 blue counters

 

But I want to find out how many red counters would equal 1 blue counter. So I divide both sides of the equation by 11.

 

9/11 (red counters)=11/11 (blue counters)

0.82 red counters=1 blue counter

 

So, for every blue counter we would have 0.82 red counters.

 

Now if "y" is the unknown number of blue counters that we possess, and we need to find out how many red counters we would have if we had "y" blue counters, we will multiply both sides of the above equation by "y". Thus;

 

0.82 (red counters) x "y"= 1 blue counter x "y"

 

so if we clean this up a little it looks like;

 

0.82y (red counters)= y (blue counters)

 

 

 

ANS: The number of red counters expressed in terms of y is 0.82y

 

 

 

Hope this helps,

-Nilay A.