Question

In the library at Lenape Elementary School, there are $\frac{2}{5}$ as many fiction books as there are nonfiction books.

There are $56$ books in the school library.

How many books are fiction books?

Answer 1

Finding the number of fiction books in the library:

Given, the total books in the library $=56$

The ratio of fiction books to the non-fiction books $=\frac{2}{5}$

Let the total number of fictional books be $2\mathrm{x}$ and non-fictional books be $5x$.

Therefore, the total number of books will be = Fictional books + Non-fictional books $=2x+5x$

Now, Given that the total number of books $=56$

On equating we get,

$$\begin{gathered} 56=2x+5x \\ \Rightarrow 56=7x \\ \Rightarrow x=8 \end{gathered}$$

Therefore, the number of fictional books is,

$$\begin{gathered} =2x \\ =2\times 8 \\ =16 \end{gathered}$$

Hence, the total number of fiction books are $16$.