The bar graph below shows the monthly demand and production figures (in units) of five T.V. companies, A, B, C, D and E. The production of company D is how many times the production of company A?
Show Hint
Divide company D's production value by company A's production value from the graph.
Instead of dividing directly, first reduce the two production numbers to their simplest ratio, then convert that ratio to a decimal.
1.8: the ratio of D to A is $2700 : 1500$. Dividing both numbers by their common factor of 300 gives $9 : 5$, and $9$ divided by $5$ is $1.8$, which matches this option.
1.5: this would need D's production to be $1500 \times 1.5 = 2250$, but the graph shows D at 2700, so this option is wrong.
2.5: this would need D's production to be $1500 \times 2.5 = 3750$, far higher than the actual 2700, so this option is wrong.
1.11: this would need D's production to be about $1500 \times 1.11 = 1665$, well below the actual 2700, so this option is wrong too.
Reducing $2700 : 1500$ to $9 : 5$ and converting to a decimal confirms 1.8 as the only value that matches company D's actual production.
Let's summarize:
Write the two production values as a ratio first.
Cancel common factors to simplify before converting to a decimal.
Check each option by working backward from the multiple to production of D.
So company D produces 1.8 times what company A produces.
