Question

A meteorologist reports that the ratio of snowfall in January to total snowfall during the average winter is 2 to 5 if 34 inches have fallen in January of the current year find the predicted total snowfall for the entire winter

Answer 1

What the ratio tells us is that for every 2 inches that fall in January, 5 are predicted to fall for the entire winter.

For this problem we can cross multiply (if you haven't done this yet, just let me know and i can edit this answer to do the problem a different way)

We set the equation up to compare the two ratios with X representing the predicted total snowfall


`(2)/(5) = (34)/(X)`

Now, we multiply the value on the top of the first fraction by the value on the bottom of the second fraction and vice versa

2X=5*34

Now, we can simplify

2X=170

Now, we can divide by 2 on both sides in order to get X alone

X=85

So, the predicted snowfall for the winter is 85 inches

Answer 2

What the ratio tells us is that for every 2 inches that fall in January, 5 are predicted to fall for the entire winter.

For this problem we can cross multiply (if you haven't done this yet, just let me know and i can edit this answer to do the problem a different way)

We set the equation up to compare the two ratios with X representing the predicted total snowfall

Now, we multiply the value on the top of the first fraction by the value on the bottom of the second fraction and vice versa

2X=5*34

Now, we can simplify

2X=170

Now, we can divide by 2 on both sides in order to get X alone

X=85

So, the predicted snowfall for the winter is 85 inches