Sharing Ratio -- A shop sells a mix of small chocolate bars and large chocolate bars

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on a mathematical problem involving the sale of small chocolate bars in packs of 4 and large chocolate bars in packs of 9, with a sales ratio of 5:2. A total of 95 bars sold is identified as an error, with the correct total being 190 bars. Participants clarify the calculations leading to the conclusion that 50 small bars were sold, which equates to 12.5 packs, an impractical result. The conversation emphasizes the need for integer solutions in such problems and explores the minimum quantities that can be sold while maintaining the specified ratio.

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TL;DR
Silly question?
A shop sells small chocolate bars and large chocolate bars

The small bars are sold in packs of 4
The large bars are sold in packs of 9

On one day;

packs of small sold ; packs of large sold = 5:2

A total of 95 bars were sold

How many small bars were sold?

*

My question; Is this an example of a badly thought out question? The only answer I can come up with involves a fraction of a pack, which doesn't seem to make sense.

(It's from Maths Genie).
 
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I also got an answer with a fraction of a small pack. You should show your work if you want better advice.
 
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What is the minimum number of candy bars that can be sold with the 5:2 ratio. The next smallest? The one after that?

How does 95 fit into this?
 
I should have said that I got an answer that had a non-integer number of small packs.
 
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paulb203 said:
A total of 95 bars were sold
## 95 ## is an error in the problem statement.
It should be ## 190 ##.
 
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FactChecker said:
I also got an answer with a fraction of a small pack. You should show your work if you want better advice.
Ah, sorry.

I started with the ratio of 5:2 for the packs
Then mulitiplied this by the number of bars in the packs to get 20:18
Then simplified that to 10:9, which gives us 19 parts

95/19 = 5

10(5)=50 small bars

50 bars/4 in a pack = 12.5 packs

But you can't (normally) buy .5 of a pack (?!)
 
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Vanadium 50 said:
What is the minimum number of candy bars that can be sold with the 5:2 ratio. The next smallest? The one after that?

How does 95 fit into this?
Minimum;
5(4) : 2(9)
= 38

Next smallest;
10(4) : 4(9)
=76

Next;
15(4) : 6(9)
=114

Yeah, how does 95 fit?
 
Gavran said:
## 95 ## is an error in the problem statement.
It should be ## 190 ##.
I'm glad to hear you say that. I took ages over this one, thinking I must be going wrong somewhere.
 
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paulb203 said:
Ah, sorry.

I started with the ratio of 5:2 for the packs
Then mulitiplied this by the number of bars in the packs to get 20:18
Then simplified that to 10:9, which gives us 19 parts

95/19 = 5

10(5)=50 small bars

50 bars/4 in a pack = 12.5 packs

But you can't (normally) buy .5 of a pack (?!)
I agree. That's correct. I don't know what half of a small pack means.
 
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