A class contains 39 students. If the number of girls is five less than three times the number of boys, How many boys and how many girls are in the class?

Question

A class contains 39 students. If the number of girls is five less than three times the number of
boys, How many boys and how many girls are in the class?

Answer 1

Create an algebraic equation and use a variable (x) to represent the number of boy that are in the class

 

39 = x + (3x - 5)    

 

Solve for x 

 

39 = 4x - 5

 

44 = 4x

 

11 = x (the number of boys in the class)

 

Subtract the number of boys from the total amount of students

 

39 - 11 = 28 (the number of girls in the class)

 

There are 28 girls and 11 boys in the class.