Question

Fifty-four out of 180 customers said that cookie dough ice cream was their favorite flavor. What fraction of customers was this?

Short answer

The fraction of customers was: $\frac{54}{180}=\frac{3}{10}$.

Step-by-step solution

Step 1. Given information.

Total customers = 180

Number of customers who like cookie flavor = 54

Step 2. Write the fraction.

A fraction is in simplest form when the numerator and denominator cannot be any smaller, while still being whole numbers.

Fraction of customers who like cookie flavor will be given by-

$\frac{54}{180}$

Step 3. Write factors of numerator and denominator.

$$\begin{gathered} 54=2\times 3\times 3\times 3 \\ 180=2\times 2\times 3\times 3\times 5 \end{gathered}$$

Step 4. Simplify the fraction.

The fraction $\frac{54}{180}$can be simplified as in below.

$$\begin{gathered} \frac{54}{180}=\frac{2\times 3\times 3\times 3}{2\times 2\times 3\times 3\times 5} \\ =\frac{3}{2\times 5} \\ =\frac{3}{10} \end{gathered}$$