Problem-Solving and Data Analysis practice question

Answer: B. 24

Set up 5/3 = 40/c. Since 40 is 5 × 8, scale the other part the same way: 3 × 8 = 24 cats. The trap is inverting the ratio (getting 40 × 5/3 ≈ 67) or scaling by the wrong factor.

Why the other answers are wrong

A. 18

The scale factor here is 8 (since 40 = 5 × 8), not 6 — multiplying the 3 cats by 6 gives 18, but you need 3 × 8 = 24.

C. 27

27 isn't a multiple of 3 times the correct scale factor; the ratio 5/3 = 40/c forces c = 3 × 8 = 24, so check what factor takes 5 to 40 and apply that same factor to the 3.

D. 64

You scaled by the right factor of 8 but multiplied it by 8 (the total number of parts, 5 + 3) instead of by the 3 cat parts: 8 × 3 = 24.

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