Question

The ratio of dogs to cats at the shelter is 5 to 6. If the total number of dogs and cats combined at the shelter is 132, then how many cats are at the shelter?

Answer 1

Let's set up an equation with x as the number of times 5 and 4 are being multiplied (remember that 5:4 is a ratio, we don't know how many dogs and cats there are, just that the ratio of dogs to cats is 5:4):

5x+4x=153

9x=153

x=17

4x=4⋅17=68

There are 85 dogs (5⋅17) and 68 cats (85:68=5:4)