Question

The area of a plot of land is 2496 square meters. A small part of the land is fenced. The ratio of the area of the plot of land to the area that is not fenced is 48:31. What is the area of the land that is not fenced?

Answer 1

My late response (haha): First, you would write a proportion.

Step 1: 2496 over 48 = x over 31
(x represents the area of the land that is not fenced).

Step 2: Cross multiply
2496 times 31 and x times 48

Step 3: Calculate
77376 = 48x

Step 4: Divide both sides by 48
77376/48 = 1612
48x/48 = x

Step 5: Write it as a sentence 
The area of the land that is not fenced is 1612 squared meters. 

Hope that helped! Good luck! :]