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4 votes
4 votes
3 Given that

a:b=3:4 and b:c= 5:2
Find the ratio a:b:c
Give your answer in its simplest form.

User Rinkesh Golwala
by
2.6k points

1 Answer

22 votes
22 votes

Answer:

15 : 20 : 8

Explanation:

Given ratios a:b = 3:4 and b:c = 5:2, you want the ratio a:b:c in simplest form.

Extended ratio

The extended ratio you want can be written only when the number of ratio units associated with 'b' is the same in both ratios. Multiplying the first ratio by 5, we get ...

a:b = 3:4 = 15:20

Multiplying the second ratio by 4 gives ...

b:c = 5:2 = 20:8

Now, 20 "ratio units" represent 'b' in both ratios, so we can combine them:

a:b:c = 15:20:8

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Additional comment

The value we chose to represent 'b' is the least common multiple (LCM) of the values that represent 'b' in the given (reduced) ratios.

User I Bajwa PHD
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2.9k points