Question

The ratio of the number of bar magnet to horse shoe magnet is 2 to 5. If there are 10 bar magnets, find the number of horse shoe magnets? Explain your answer

Answer 1

25 horse shoe magnets

Explanation:

What is a ratio?

A ratio has two or more numbers that symbolize relation to each other. Ratios are used to compare numbers, and you can compare them using division.

If the ratio is 2: 5 (bar magnet: horse shoe magnet) then we can use this ratio to solve for how many horse shoe magnets there are if there are 10 bar magnets.

• 10: ?

To solve for '?', we can use this expression:

• 5 × 5 = 25

Why do we multiply by 5?

We multiply by 5 because in order to go from 2 to 10 (2: 5, 10: ?), we multiply the 2 by 5.

Therefore, for every 10 bar magnets, there are 25 horse shoe magnets.