Final answer:
The student was asked to solve for the number of boys based on a given ratio and total number of students. Using the ratio of girls to boys (5:4) and the total number of students (36), the calculation shows there were 16 boys who participated.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the number of boys who participated, we need to use the ratio of 5:4 which represents girls to boys, respectively. Since there are a total of 36 students, we can combine the parts of the ratio (5 + 4 = 9 parts) and divide the total number of students by the total parts to find out what one part is equal to:
36 ÷ 9 = 4 students per part.
Since the ratio of boys is 4 parts, we multiply one part by 4:
4 (one part) × 4 (boys' parts) = 16 boys.
Therefore, the correct answer is A) 16 boys.