Question

Sally shot 42 goals in a netball game, which was 3/5 of the team’s total. How many goals were scored by the team?

I thought that 3/5=42 so if I change 3/5 into a % I get 60%. So 60%=42 therefore 10%=7. So 100%= 7x10. Is this correct at all?

Answer 1

The problem is stating that
3/5 of a number is 42.
What is the number?
Let the number be x, since it's an unknown, and write an equation.
(3/5)x = 42
Now solve the equation.
Since x is being multiplied by 3/5, multiply both sides by the reciprocal of 3/5, which is 5/3.

Answer 2

I thought that 3/5=42 so if I change 3/5 into a % I get 60%. So 60%=42 therefore 10%=7. So 100%= 7x10. Is this correct at all?

Answer 3

@zari3200. Your method is also correct :) Both methods end up with the same answer.

Answer 4

@zari3200
Your idea is correct, but you need to be careful how you write it.
3/5 is a number.
42 is another number.
\(\dfrac{3}{5} \ne 42\),
but \(\dfrac{3}{5}x = 42\) is the correct equation for this problem.
As you stated, 3/5 = 60%, so
60% x = 42
10% x = 7,
so 100% x = 70,
and x, the number we are looking for, is 70.