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A herd of 52 horses has 12 white and some black horses. What is the ratio of white to black

User Tilendor
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1 Answer

3 votes

Answer:

12:40

Explanation:

The total number of horses is given as 52.

Number of white horses =12

Let the number of black horses be
x.

This means that ratio of white: black horses is 12:
x.

Using the ratio above, we can find the number of black horses as follows:


x/(12+x) of 52=x


x/(12+x)*52=x


52x/(12+x)=x


52x=x(12+x)


52x=(12x+x^2)


(12x+x^2)=52x


x^2+12x-52x=0


x^2-40x=0

Taking out the common factor x from equation we have:


x(x-40)=0

This gives us with two solution:

x=0 and x=40.

Since the question said there are some black horses, the x=0 value can be ignored. So we have
x=40

Hence the ratio: 12:40


User Jetse
by
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