Answer:
C. the number of ties
Explanation:
We usually use a variable to represent an unknown in a problem. Here, the unknown is the value we're asked to find: the number of ties in the closet.
It makes sense in this problem to use a variable to represent ...
the number of ties in the closet.
__
If t represent the number of ties, then we are given the relation ...
t/3 = 27
The solution is ...
t = 3·27 = 81 . . . . Grandpa Joe had 81 ties in his closet