word problem in math

Question

Riverside Elementary School is hold a school-wide election to choose a school color. Five eigths of the votes were for blue, 5/9 of the remaining votes were for green, and the remaining 48 votes were for red. How many votes were for blue?

Answer 1

Hi Ashley,

Let ‘n’ be the total number of votes

5/8 of n = number of votes for blue

hint: of means multiply.

So number of votes for blue = 5/8*n

If 5/8 votes were for blue the remaining fraction of votes would be 3/8.

It is given that 5/9 of remaining votes were for green

so we have

number of votes for green =5/9*3/8*n

simplifying we get

number of votes for green =5/24*n

The remaining votes ( which are 48 ) were for red

Subtract green and blue votes from total votes to get number of red votes

n - (5/8+5/24)n= 48

n-(15/24+5/24)n=48

n-20/24*n=48

n-5/6*n=48

1/6*n= 48

n= 48*6= 288

total number of votes =288

from this I hope you can calculate the number of votes got blue by substituting n=288 in

number of votes for blue = 5/8*n

Hope this helps!