Final answer:
To find the ratio of boys to girls, divide the number of boys by the number of girls. The initial ratio is 100:120 and by simplifying it using the greatest common divisor, which is 20, the simplest form of the ratio is 5:6.
Step-by-step explanation:
The ratio of boys to girls in a year group with 100 boys and 120 girls is determined by dividing the number of boys by the number of girls. To simplify the ratio, both numbers can be divided by their greatest common divisor.
First, establish the initial ratio of boys to girls:
100 (boys) : 120 (girls).
To simplify, find the greatest common divisor of 100 and 120, which is 20. By dividing both sides of the ratio by 20, the simplest form of the ratio is obtained:
100 ÷ 20 (boys) : 120 ÷ 20 (girls)
5 (boys) : 6 (girls).
So the simplest form of the ratio of boys to girls is 5:6.