Percentage equation, algebra 1

Question

Forty percent of the voters chose Shane. If 540 voters chose the other candidates, how many voters were there?

Answer 1

Let x = total population.

If 40% of voters chose Shane, then 60% of voters chose others. 540 = 0.6x

x = 540/0.6; x = 900 total voters.

40% chose Shane 0.4 x 900 = 360 voters; 60% chose others 0.6 x 900 = 540.

Answer 2

Hi Hanna,

We know that 540 is 60% of the total votes.

Therefore, we have to solve the math problem: "540 is 60% of what number?"

To do that, we can incorporate the percentage formula: is/of = %/100.

Now we have the equation:

540 = 60

x 100

We will now solve this equation by cross-multiplying (60) (x) = 60x.

Then we cross-multiply 540 x 100 = 54,000

Now we have our new equation: 60x = 54,000

And now we divide both sides of the equation by 60: 60x = 54,000

60 60

x=900

So 540 is 60% of 900 (total votes).

Knowing this important information we can now answer the brand new question: "What is 40% of 900?", and solve the corresponding equation(s) using the same formula as before (is/of = %/100).

x = 40%

900 100

Cross-multiply (100) (x) = 100x

900 x 40 = 36,000

Solve the equation: 100x = 36,000 by dividing both sides of the equation by 100.

100x = 36,000

100 100

x=360

When we add 540 + 360, we get a grand total of 900 voters.

Answer 3

If 40% chose Shane, then 60% chose the other candidates. This means that the number of people that chose the other candidates can be represented with a proportion:

540/x = 60/100

54000 = 60x

900 = x

Thus, there are 900 total voters.

Hope this helped!