Question

Lee and Fred are elementary school teachers. Fred works for a charter school in Pacific Palisades, California, where class size reduction is a goal for 2013. Lee works for a noncharter school where funds do not allow for class size reduction policies. Lee’s fifth-grade class has 1.0 times as many students as Fred’s. a. If there are a total of 60 students, how many students does Fred’s class have? (Round your answers to the nearest whole number. ) Number of students b. If there are a total of 60 students, how many students does Lee’s class have? (Round your answers to the nearest whole number. ) Number of students

Answer 1

Let,

Lee’s class size = L

Fred’s class size = F

We are told that Lee’s fifth-grade class has 1.0 times as many students as Fred’s

Therefore, L = 1F

L = F

Question A. If there are a total of 60 students, how many students does Fred’s class have?

Total number of students = 60

L + F = 60

Since L = F

L + F = F + F + 60

F + F = 60

2F = 60

F = 60/2

F = 30

Therefore, if there are a total of 60 students, Fred’s class has 30 students.

QUESTION B. If there are a total of 60 students, how many students does Lee’s class have?

Total number of students = 60

L + F = 60

Since L = F

L + F = L + L + 60

L + L = 60

2L = 60

L = 60/2

L = 30

Therefore, if there are a total of 60 students, Lee’s class has 30 students.