Example 2: Splitting a total in a ratio
Last Updated On: Fri Aug 28 2026Caselet
A company has 120 employees in three departments: Sales, HR, and IT. The number of employees in these departments is in the ratio 5 : 3 : 4.
Question
How many more employees are in Sales than in HR?
Table built from the caselet
| Department | Ratio part | Employees |
|---|---|---|
| Sales | 5 | 50 |
| HR | 3 | 30 |
| IT | 4 | 40 |
| Total | 12 | 120 |
Solution
- Sum of ratio parts = 5 + 3 + 4 = 12.
- Value of one part = 120 / 12 = 10.
- Sales = 5 x 10 = 50 and HR = 3 x 10 = 30.
- Difference = 50 - 30 = 20 employees.