The ratio of male to female workers in two companies A and B is 13: 10 and 7: 5, respectively. If both the companies have the same number of female workers, then what is the ratio of the total number of workers in A to those in B?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (b) 23: 24
Make the female part equal: write B's 7 : 5 as 14 : 10. Then A has 13 + 10 = 23 parts and B has 14 + 10 = 24 parts.
- A: male : female = 13 : 10.
- B: 7 : 5 = 14 : 10, so females are 10 parts in both.
- Totals: A = 23 parts, B = 24 parts.
- Ratio = 23 : 24.
Remember · To compare two ratios sharing a common quantity, scale them so that the common term is equal.
Question and answer: UPSC's provisional GS Paper II (2026, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·