Final answer:
To determine the number of pencils and pens in the drawer, we need to find the actual ratio of pencils to pens and simplify it. The answer will be a combination of pens and pencils in a ratio of 2:3.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the number of pencils and pens in the drawer, we first need to find the actual number of pencils. Since the ratio of pencils to pens is 5:15, and there are twice as many pencils, the actual ratio of pencils to pens is 10:15. This can be simplified to 2:3. So, for every 2 pencils, there are 3 pens.
If we let the number of pencils be 2x and the number of pens be 3x, we can write the equation 2x + 3x = total number of items in the drawer. Simplifying this equation gives us 5x = total number of items in the drawer. Since the question doesn't specify the total number of items, we cannot determine the exact number of pencils and pens. However, the correct answer would be a combination of pens and pencils in a ratio of 2:3.