Answer:
300 total students
Step-by-step explanation:
The best way to solve this is by setting up a proportion. From your information, you know that 54 students failed a test, and that the failures only represent 18% of the total students. From that, you can set up something like this...
[tex]\frac{18}{100}[/tex], because it's a percent. Percents are always taken out of 100. For example, 4% is the same as 4/100, so in our case, 18% can be swapped to 18/100.
and you have 54 students, but out of how many? We don't know. So let's just say [tex]\frac{54}{x}[/tex].
Now, since 54 students make up 18% of the total students, we can set these proportions equation to each other:
[tex]\frac{18}{100} =\frac{54}{x}[/tex]
To solve this, you can use the "butterfly method" (look this up if you aren't familiar), or just use regular algebra to get x alone. The butterfly method usually works best for stuff like this, and when you use that (basically go criss-cross around the equal sign), you get:
100 * 54 = 18 * x
5400 = 18x
x = 300
So your total number of students must be 300. Double check yourself by taking 300 and finding 18% of it (300*.18). You get 54 back, so you know you're right!
