Noob ratio maths help

Lokai

Lokai

Lokai

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Looking for a little assistance with a maths questions for someone that hasn't studied in 18 years -

Taking two figures (380 ppm carbon dioxide and 1750 ppb methane), express the ratio of co2 to ch4 in the format x: 1, where x is a whole number given to two significant figures.

If someone could point me in the right direction it would be greatly appreciated.
 
If you divide the larger number by the smaller number when both are in equal units, the number you get is the 'x' you are looking for.
 
Great, thanks for your help, i wasn't converting the methane to ppm from ppb which is where i was going wrong.
 
rubberduck said:
1750 ppb = 1.75 ppm

So 380/1.75 = 217.14

So i guess the answer is 217.14 : 1
Click to expand...

Except it asks for a whole number to 2 significant figures, not 2 decimal places - which wouldn't be a whole number anyway.

So the answer would be 220 : 1

But well spotted on the ppb I hadn't noticed that :p
 
Spunkey said:
Doesn't 'significant figures' mean 'integer', not nearest factor of 10? I made the answer 217:1
Click to expand...

No, significant figures means just that, the first set of numbers starting with one that is not zero, then you round up as normal.

So 655,464 to 3 significant figures would be 655,000
to 2 significant figures would be 660,000
and to 1 significant figure would be 700,000
 
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