Final answer:
To divide 72 students with a ratio of 4 to 5, calculate 8 students per part by dividing 72 by 9. Group 1 has 32 students (4 x 8), and Group 2 has 40 students (5 x 8).
Step-by-step explanation:
To divide 72 students into two groups so that the ratio is 4 to 5, you first need to determine the total number of parts in the ratio. In this case, 4 (for the first group) and 5 (for the second group) add up to 9 parts total.
Next, divide the total number of students, 72, by the total number of parts in the ratio, which is 9. This gives you the number of students per part:
72 / 9 = 8 students per part
Now, multiply the number of students per part by the number of parts for each group:
- Group 1 (4 parts): 4 parts × 8 students/part = 32 students
- Group 2 (5 parts): 5 parts × 8 students/part = 40 students
Therefore, the 72 students can be divided into one group of 32 and another group of 40 to maintain the 4:5 ratio.