Answer:
the least possible number of marbles in the bag is 12.
Explanation:
As for the question about the marbles, let's call the number of red marbles "x". Then the number of white marbles is 4x, the number of blue marbles is 5x, and the number of green marbles is (1/2) * 5x = 2.5x.
The total number of marbles in the bag is x + 4x + 5x + 2.5x = 12.5x.
To find the least possible number of marbles, we need to find the smallest possible value of x, which will give us the smallest total number of marbles. Since x represents the number of red marbles, it must be a positive integer. The smallest positive integer value of x is 1.
So, if there is one red marble, there are 4 white marbles, 5 blue marbles, and 2.5 green marbles. The total number of marbles in the bag is 1 + 4 + 5 + 2.5 = 12.5.
Therefore, the least possible number of marbles in the bag is 12.