Question

The ratio of men to women at a college basketball game is 5 to 8. Which of the following shows the possible numbers of men to women at the college basketball game?

a) 10 men, 16 women
b) 25 men, 40 women
c) 15 men, 30 women
d) 20 men, 35 women

Answer 1

The possible numbers of men to women at the college basketball game that follow the ratio of 5 to 8 are represented by options a (10 men to 16 women) and b (25 men to 40 women).

Step-by-step explanation:

The ratio of men to women at a college basketball game is 5 to 8, which means for every 5 men there are 8 women. To determine the correct option, we must ensure that the numbers of men and women in the options given can be simplified to the ratio 5:8.

• Option a: 10 men to 16 women can be simplified to 5 to 8, after dividing both numbers by 2.
• Option b: 25 men to 40 women simplifies to 5 to 8, after dividing both numbers by 5.
• Option c: 15 men to 30 women simplifies to 1 to 2, therefore it does not represent the 5 to 8 ratio.
• Option d: 20 men to 35 women cannot be simplified to the ratio 5 to 8, as there is no common divisor that will achieve that ratio.

Hence, the possible numbers of men to women at the college basketball game are represented by options a and b, which are 10 men to 16 women and 25 men to 40 women respectively.