Question

The ratio of nonfiction books to total books on Caleb's bookshelf is 7:10. What does this mean?

A:Caleb has seven nonfiction books and 10 fiction books on his bookshelf.
B:On his bookshelf Caleb has exactly 10 books total, seven of which are nonfiction.
C:On his bookshelf Caleb has exactly 10 books total, seven of which are nonfiction.
D:Out of every 10 books total on Caleb's bookshelf, 7 are nonfiction.

Answer 1

D, Out of every 10 books total on Caleb's bookshelf, 7 are nonfiction.

Explanation:

When we are dealing with ratios it is common to hear phrases such as "for every". In this circumstance for every 10 books Caleb has on his bookshelf, 7 of them are always nonfiction. This can also be used if we want to expand the ratio, for example, 14:20. The ratio would still be equivalent to 7:10 because each factor increased at the same rate.