Question

Three-fifths of the students in the school orchestra play the violin. if 2/3 of the violin players are girls and 24 girls play violin, how many students are in the orchestra? BTW im study for the acts this is one thing i need to know how to do

Answer 1

You should start by figuring out how many violin players there are.

Answer 2

how do i go about doing that, division?

Answer 3

2/3 = 24 girls

Answer 4

so i would have to find 2/3 of 3/4 right?

Answer 5

My ten year old just figured it out and is in 5th grade. Here's what he did:

24 girls play the violin. 24 is 2/3 of what number?

Answer 6

if 24 is 2/3, then half of 24 is 1/3. half of 24 is 12. 3*12 is 36. so 36 kids play the violin.

36 is 3/5 of all of the kids in the orchestra. figure out how many kids are in 1/5 if 36 is 3/5. add two more fifths to 36 to get the total in the orchestra

Answer 7

working backwards like he did is often a very effective way to solve these problems.

Answer 8

^ couldn't have said it better myself :P

Answer 9

it said it was 60

Answer 10

You're right

Answer 11

Yes. Let's check (always a good plan!):

60 kids, 3/5 play violin, so 3/5*60 = 180/5 = 36 kids play violin.

2/3 of violinists are girls: 2/3*36 = 72/3 = 24 girls playing violin.

Everything checks out.