At a particular school, all students participate in at least one out of three activities: debate, music, and community service. 3 students do all three activities, 21 students do two or more activities, half of all students participate in music, and the ratio of participants in debate, music, and community service, respectively, is $5:4:3$. What is the total number of students at the school

48

Step-by-step explanation:

The given parameters are;

The activities in which the students of the school participate = 1) Debate, 2) Music, and 3) Community services

The number of students that do all three activities = 3

The number of students that do two or more activities = 21

The number of the students that participate in music = Half of the students

The ratio of the students that take part in debate, music, and community service = 5 : 4 : 3

Let x represent a common number factor of participants in each of the given three activities, we have;

5·x participate in debate, A

4·x participate in music, B

3·x participate in community service, C

We get;

The sum of the students in the school = A∪B∪C = A + B + C - A∩B - A∩C - B∩C + A∩B∩C

Given that the number of students that do two or ore activities = 21, we have;

(A∩B)∪(A∩C)∪(B∩C) = 21

However, we have;

(A∩B)∪(A∩C)∪(B∩C) = (A∩B) + (A∩C) + (B∩C) - A∩B∩C - B∩A∩C - C∩B∩A + A∩B∩C

∴ 21 = (A∩B) + (A∩C) + (B∩C) - 3 - 3 - 3 + 3

(A∩B) + (A∩C) + (B∩C) = 21 + 3 + 3 + 3 - 3 = 21 + 6 = 27

∴ -(A∩B) - (A∩C) - (B∩C) = -27

Therefore;

A + B + C - A∩B - A∩C - B∩C + A∩B∩C = 5·x + 4·x + 3·x - 27 + 3

5·x + 4·x + 3·x - 27 + 3 = 12·x - 24

The total number of students = A∪B∪C = 12·x - 24

The number of students participating in music, B = 4·x = Half the total number of students = (12·x - 24)/2

∴ 4·x = (12·x - 24)/2

8·x = 12·x - 24

12·x - 8·x = 24

4·x = 24

x = 24/4 = 6

The total number of students at the school = 12·x - 24 = 12 × 6 - 24 = 48

is this a multiple choice question?

if so it's a and c

step-by-step explanation: