Question:
In a school, $\frac{5}{8}$ of the students are boys. If there are 240 girls, find the number of boys in the school.
Solution:
If $\frac{5}{8}$ of the students are boys, then the ratio of girls is $1-\frac{5}{8}$, that is, $\frac{3}{8}$.
Now, let $x$ be the total number of students.
Thus, we have:
$\frac{3}{8} x=240$
$\Rightarrow x=240 \div \frac{3}{8}$
$=240 \times \frac{8}{3}$
$=\frac{240}{1} \times \frac{8}{3}$
$=\frac{240 \times 8}{1 \times 3}$
$=\frac{1920}{3}$
$=640$
Hence, the total number of students is 640.
Now,
Number of boys = Total number of students - Number of girls
$=640-240$
$=400$
Hence, the number of boys is 400.