Question

A jar is filled with quarters and nickels in the ratio 1 2/5 to 2 1/3. If there are 24 quarters in the jar, what is the ratio in dollar value of quarters to that of the nickels???

Answer 1

3 : 1

Explanation:

The ratio of coins is ...

1 2/5 : 2 1/3 = 7/5 : 7/3 = 3 : 5

The quarters have 5 times the dollar value of nickels, so the ratio of dollar values is ...

5(3) : 5 = 3 : 1

The quarters have 3 times the dollar value of the nickels.

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Additional comment

The number of nickels is 5/3 times the number of quarters, so is 5/3(24) = 40.

The dollar value of the quarters is 24($0.25) = $6.

The dollar value of the nickels is 40($0.05) = $2.

As above, the ratio of dollar values is 6:2 = 3 : 1.

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There are a few different ways to compute the ratio of fractions. The one we used here may be a little unusual. All are equivalent.

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