Question

Challenge in a company, 80% of the workers are women. If 400 people work for the company who

aren't women, how many workers are there in all? Use pencil and paper. Show two different ways
that you can solve this problem.

Answer 1

9514 1404 393

Answer:

• (100%/(100%-80%))×400 = 2000
• (80%/(100%-80%))×400 = 1600; 1600 +400 = 2000

Explanation:

Recognize that the number of non-women is 100%-80% = 20% of the workforce. There are two things you can do with that.

1) total/non-women = 100%/20% = x/400 ⇒ x = 400(100%/20%) = 2000

Effectively, we have computed 400/20% = 2000.

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2) women/non-women = 80%/20% = w/400 ⇒ w = 400(80%/20%) = 1600

Then the total is ...

women + non-women = 1600 +400 = 2000

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The total number of employees is 2000.