Question

There are 5/6 as many black pants as blue pants in george's closet. There are 5/9 as many black pants as brown pants in his closet. What is the ratio of the number black pants to the total number of pants in his closet?

Answer 1

Answer is the ratio 1 : 4

Work Shown

x = number of black pants

y = number of blue pants

z = number of brown pants

x = (5/6)y

x = (5/9)z

z = (9/5)x

x+y+z = total number of pants

x+y+z = (5/6)y + y + (9/5)x

x+y+z = (5/6)y+y+(9/5)*(5/6)y

x+y+z = (5/6)y+y+(3/2)y

x+y+z = (5/6)y+(6/6)y+(9/6)y

x+y+z = ( (5+6+9)/6 )y

x+y+z = (20/6)y

x+y+z = (10/3)y

numberOfBlackPants : Total

(5/6)y : (10/3)y

6*(5/6)y : 6*(10/3)y

5y : 20y

5 : 20

1 : 4

The ratio of the number of black pants to the total number is 1 : 4

It means the total is 4 times that of the number of black pants.