A florist has 84 roses and 56 tulips. The florist then buys some more tulips so that the ratio of the number of roses to the number of tulips becomes 3 : 4. The number of roses does not change.
- Write the ratio of the number of roses to the number of tulips in its simplest form.
- How many tulips does the florist buy?
Need a hint?
For (a), divide both numbers by the largest number that goes into both. For (b), find the value of one part using the roses, then find 4 parts for the tulips.
Worked answer
- (a) 84 : 56 = (84 ÷ 28) : (56 ÷ 28) = 3 : 2
- (b) Roses are 3 parts, so 1 part = 84 ÷ 3 = 28.
- Tulips needed = 4 parts = 4 × 28 = 112.
- Tulips bought = 112 − 56 = 56.
The mistake this question tests
Simplest form in final fraction answers
Pupils often divide only by 2 or stop at 42 : 28, which is not in simplest form. In (b), they stop at 28, which is one part, instead of finding 4 parts.
How to fix it at home →More PSLE ratio questions
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