Question

Your class has 26 students, which represents 5% of your school's enrollment. Your friend uses the proportion 5/100 =n/26 to find the number of students in your school . Explain your friend's error? Can you guys please help me on this problem. By the way the / is a fraction. Thanks!

Answer 1

26 is a part of the whole. the proportion should be set up:

(26/x) = (5/100) It's the overall enrollment that is being asked.

If you also need to solve: Cross multiply, 26(100) = 5x, 2600 = 5x, divide both sides by 5, 520 is the enrollment