Right:Left handed is 15:2 in a company. 12 right handed people join the company. Ratio is now 9:1. How many left handed people are there in the company?

1 Answer
Jan 31, 2018

# 8#.

Explanation:

We are given the ratio #15:2# of the right and left handed

persons in the company.

We use this fact to suppose that the no. of right and left handed

persons is #15k and 2k#, resp.

This means that there are #15k+2k=17k# persons in the

company.

Now, #12# right handed persons join the company, and as such,

(1) : The no. of righties becomes #15k+12#.

(2) : The no. of lefties remains the same, i.e., #2k#.

(1) and (2) suggest that, in the new scenario, the ratio is,

#(15k+12):2k#, which is, #9:1#.

#rArr (15k+12):2k=9:1, or, (15k+12)/(2k)=9/1#.

#:. 15k+12=18k rArr 3k=12 rArr k=4#.

This gives us, #2k=8#, as the no. of left handed persons in the

company.