math problem

Hi I just got myself caught up in a lousy dirty percentage math problem . I'm doin A levels without pure maths and also studying for sat1's . I got a class again on Sunday so I just want the solution of this problem :

In an election there rae two candidates . A candidate gets 40% of the total and loses the election by 9800 votes . Find the total number of votes .

Answer : (A) 29,400 (B) 36,200 (C) 39,200 (D) 49,000 (E) NONE .

Gimme the ansa and tell me y .

Reply 1

elpaw

15

nayeem18

Hi I just got myself caught up in a lousy dirty percentage math problem . I'm doin A levels without pure maths and also studying for sat1's . I got a class again on Sunday so I just want the solution of this problem :

In an election there rae two candidates . A candidate gets 40% of the total and loses the election by 9800 votes . Find the total number of votes .

Answer : (A) 29,400 (B) 36,200 (C) 39,200 (D) 49,000 (E) NONE .

Gimme the ansa and tell me y .

20% = 9800 => 100% = 5*9800 = 49000 = (D)

Reply 2

s-k

elpaw

20% = 9800 => 100% = 5*9800 = 5900 = (D)

whow does 20% = 9800 ?

Reply 3

john !!

14

If they lose and get 40%, then we assume the winner gets 60%, therefore the difference is 20%. We assume only two people are running for it.

Reply 4

s-k

whow does 20% = 9800 ?

no problemo worked it out :smile:

40% she gets
60% other canditate gets and wins by 9800 votes.

Hence 20% of the votes = 9800 :P

Reply 5

nayeem18

OP

why does't this work ?

Let , ' x ' be the total number of votes .

So , 40% of x = 2x /5

60% of x = 3x / 5

2x / 5 + 9800 = 3x / 5 - 9800

[ the answer doesn't match but my idea is that if i add 9800 with the first candidate who was beaten by 9800 votes and deduct the same amount from the winner , i'll have two candidates on a par with each other , then find x ]

Reply 6

TS2Master

I'm sorry but if you want to pass an A level in pure maths and you can't do that.... then you won't pass. I did it in my head in about 30 seconds and I am averaging 50% in my Pure modules.