Help with math problem, please!!!

[NathanD]

<< A literature professor has a book collection containing 400 novels. The number of horror novels is 46% of the number of science fiction novels;the number of science fiction novels is 65% of the number of romance novels; and the number of mystery novels is 17% of the number of horror novels. how many science fiction novels does the professor have? Round to the nearest one. >>



How the hell do I do this?

 

[austin316]

At the cost of sounding like an idiot. I don't believe that it is solveable.

I decided not to change my spelling, but I did sound like an idiot. Its solvable, not solveable.

 

[6TNINE]

yeah, you dont have enough info there. impossible

 

[Sandor]

I agree- not enough info. There are four variables and only three pieces of information. Now, if the mystery novels were actually suppose to be romance novels (or vice versa), it could be solved.

 

[Mephistopheles]

You guys are such quitters

Horror (H) = .46 * SF (sci-fi)
Romance (R) = SF/.65
Mystery (M) = (.46)(.17)*SF

Add all these and make them equal 400. You've just isolated SF

 

[BuckleDownBen]

H = .46S
S=.65R
M=.17H

H + S + M + R = 400

.46S + S + (.17)(.46)S + S/.65 = 400

S(.46 + 1 + (.17)(.46) + 1/.65) = 400

3.07666S = 400

S = 130
H = 60
R = 200
M = 10

 

[Sandor]

edit- I'm dumb.

 

[Ns1]

ooooh man we got some smart people on this board

 

[saltedeggman]

thats a good thing!!

 

[NathanD]

BuckleDownBen wins the title, "Hero of the Day!"

Thank you BDB!

 

[dullard]

<< Add all these and make them equal 400. >>




<< H + S + M + R = 400. >>



I hate to be picky, but the question never stated that the only novels were science fiction, horror, romance, or mystery. Thus technically you must solve:

H + S + M + R + others = 400.

Since no information was given about 'others' you both assumed that there were zero books that fit this category. Only with this assumption can you solve this. If you don't make that assumption, this cannot be solved.

 

[SCSIfreek]

agreed with dullard. You must assume there's only 4 types(Sci-fi, Romance, Mystery, and horror) of novels.


--Scsi

 

[BooneRebel]

<< I hate to be picky, but the question never stated that the only novels were science fiction, horror, romance, or mystery. Thus technically you must solve:

H + S + M + R + others = 400.

Since no information was given about 'others' you both assumed that there were zero books that fit this category. Only with this assumption can you solve this. If you don't make that assumption, this cannot be solved. >>



Agreed, though I went through the work to solve this before reading down to see if anyone else had answered it. Assuming that there are only 4 categories you can solve S to be 130.01 (130). However, I would state that in my answer.

By the way, what literature professor is going to have romance novels in his library, anyway?