Question

Directions: The following table shows the percentage population of six states (A to F) that lives below the poverty line, along with the male to female ratio among the population below the poverty line and above the poverty line, for each state.

State	% Population below poverty line	Below Poverty line M:F	Above Poverty line M:F
A	16	2:3	3:4
B	10	4:3	5:2
C	14	3:4	2:3
D	20	5:2	4:3
E	25	4:1	2:1
F	20	2:3	4:1

If the number of males below the poverty line in state C is 6000 and in state E is 1000, what is the ratio of the total population of state C to state E?

• A. 2:1
• B. 3:5
• C. 11:5
• D. NOTA

Hint:

Find what percent of each state's total population the given male count represents, then divide the two totals.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Work backward from the male count using percentages instead of a variable multiplier.
In state C, 14% of the population is below the poverty line, and among that group males are $\frac{3}{7}$ (from the $3:4$ ratio). So males below poverty line form $14\% \times \frac{3}{7} = 6\%$ of the total population of C. Since this 6% equals 6000 people, the total population of C is $\frac{6000}{0.06} = 100000$.

Step 2: Repeat the percentage method for state E.
In state E, 25% of the population is below the poverty line, and among that group males are $\frac{4}{5}$ (from the $4:1$ ratio). So males below poverty line form $25\% \times \frac{4}{5} = 20\%$ of the total population of E. Since this 20% equals 1000 people, the total population of E is $\frac{1000}{0.20} = 5000$.

Step 3: Form and simplify the ratio.
Ratio of population C to population E is $100000 : 5000$. Dividing both sides by 5000 gives $20 : 1$. None of the printed options $2:1$, $3:5$, $11:5$ equal $20:1$.

Final Answer:
The ratio works out to 20:1, so since that is not an option, the answer is NOTA. \[ \boxed{20:1 \Rightarrow \text{NOTA}} \]