M7MBA wrote:At a certain organization, the number of male members went up by 12% in the year 2001 from the year 2000, and the number of females members went down by 6% in the same time period. If the total membership at the organization went up by 1.2% from the year 2000 to 2001, what was the ratio of male members to female members in the year 2000?
a.1:2
b.1:3
c.2:3
d.3:2
e.2:1
This is a MIXTURE problem.
Percent change for men = +12%.
Percent change for women = -6%.
Percent change for the MIXTURE of men and women = +1.2%.
The following approach is called ALLIGATION -- a very efficient way to handle MIXTURE PROBLEMS.
Let M = men and W = women.
Step 1: Plot the 3 percent changes on a number line, with the percent changes for M and W on the ends and the percent change for the mixture in the middle.
M +12%..........................+1.2%.......................-6% W
--
Step 2: Calculate the distances between the percentages.
M +12%.......
10.8.........+1.2%........
7.2.........-6% W
Step 3: Determine the ratio in the mixture.
The ratio of M to W is equal to the RECIPROCAL of the distances in red.
M:W = 7.2 : 10.8 = 72:108 = 2:3.
The correct answer is
C.
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