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Joined: 10 Apr 2015
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A box contains red balls, blue balls, and green balls only. If 16 red
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19 Mar 2022, 07:02
19 Mar 2022, 07:02
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A box contains red balls, blue balls, and green balls only. If 16 red balls were removed from the box, the ratio of the number of red balls to the number of blue balls would be 2 to 3. If 24 blue balls were added to the original collection of balls, the ratio of the number of blue balls to the number of green balls would be 5 to 2. What is the ratio of the number of red balls to the number of green balls in the original collection?
A) 5 to 8
B) 3 to 2
C) 2 to 1
D) 8 to 5
E) 5 to 3
A) 5 to 8
B) 3 to 2
C) 2 to 1
D) 8 to 5
E) 5 to 3
Retired Moderator
Joined: 10 Apr 2015
Posts: 6218
Given Kudos: 136
Re: A box contains red balls, blue balls, and green balls only. If 16 red
[#permalink]
21 Mar 2022, 07:27
21 Mar 2022, 07:27
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GreenlightTestPrep wrote:
A box contains red balls, blue balls, and green balls only. If 16 red balls were removed from the box, the ratio of the number of red balls to the number of blue balls would be 2 to 3. If 24 blue balls were added to the original collection of balls, the ratio of the number of blue balls to the number of green balls would be 5 to 2. What is the ratio of the number of red balls to the number of green balls in the original collection?
A) 5 to 8
B) 3 to 2
C) 2 to 1
D) 8 to 5
E) 5 to 3
A) 5 to 8
B) 3 to 2
C) 2 to 1
D) 8 to 5
E) 5 to 3
Let R = the number of red balls in the (original) collection
Let B = the number of blue balls in the (original) collection
Let G = the number of green balls in the (original) collection
If 16 red balls were removed from the box, the ratio of the number of red balls to the number of blue balls would be 2 to 3.
We can write: (R - 16)/B = 2/3
Cross multiply: 3(R - 16) = 2B
Expand: 3R - 48 = 2B
If 24 blue balls were added to the original collection of balls, the ratio of the number of blue balls to the number of green balls would be 5 to 2.
We can write: (B + 24)/G = 5/2
Cross multiply: 2(B + 24) = 5G
Expand: 2B + 48 = 5G
What is the ratio of the number of red balls to the number of green balls in the original collection?
In other words, what is the value of R/G?
We have the following system of equations:
3R - 48 = 2B
2B + 48 = 5G
Take the top equation and add 48 both sides to get:
3R = 2B + 48
2B + 48 = 5G
Since 3R and 5G are both set equal to 2B + 48, it must be the case that: 3R = 5G
Divide both sides of the equation by G to get: 3R/G = 5
Divide both sides of the equation by 3 to get: R/G = 5/3
Answer: E
gmatclubot
Re: A box contains red balls, blue balls, and green balls only. If 16 red [#permalink]
21 Mar 2022, 07:27
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