1.3 Reporting results using fractions
Activity 2 illustrates how fractions can be used to report results from a survey. As you work through the activity, think about why fractions are useful in a report, rather than actual numbers.
Activity 2 Summarising survey results
In 2020, the website ‘Save the Student’, which focuses on financial issues for students, published a survey about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on students (Save the student, 2020).
The report summarised the results of a survey of 2200 students. Of those students, were feeling anxious due to isolation.
They found of these students had needed to ask for help about issues related to Covid-19. Out of this group, nearly half found it hard to ask for help.
- a.How many of the students surveyed were feeling anxious due to isolation?
b.
Hint: how many people are there in one tenth of the students?
Answer
One tenth of the students is 220 people. So three tenths are people.
- b.How many students needed to ask for help?
Hint: think about how many parts the total is divided into.
Answer
One twenty-fifth of the students is 88 students. We need 18 twenty-fifths: students.
- c.Roughly how many students found it hard to ask for help?
Hint: we are told ‘nearly half’ of students found it hard to ask for help, so the best we can do is to find half of the students.
Answer
1584 students needed to ask for help. Half of them found this hard to do. Half of 1584 is 792. So 792 students found it hard to ask for help.
- d.What fraction of the total number of students surveyed found it hard to ask for help?
Hint: we know from part (c) 792 found it hard to ask for help.
Answer
We know 792 students found it hard to ask for help. There were 2200 students survey altogether. Therefore, the fraction that found it hard to ask for help is .
You may not realise it, but by completing this activity you have already multiplied using fractions – well done! In the next section you’ll find out more.