Answer:
36 total students in the class
Step-by-step explanation:
Analyze the boys
There are 24 boys in the class.
Since they sit in pairs, and exactly 1/4 of the boys sit with a girl, then one-quarter of the 24 boys sits with a girl.
1/4 * 24 = 6, so 6 of the boys sit with a girl. Reflexively, 6 girls sit with a boy.
Analyze the girls
Since the problem states that exactly half of the girls sit with a boy, then half of the total number of girls is 6 (since we know that exactly 6 girls were sitting with a boy).
1/2 * x = 6
Multiplying both sides by 2...
x=12
So there are 12 girls total in the class, half (6) of whom sit with a boy.
Find the total
There are 24 boys total in the class, one-quarter (6) of whom sit with a girl. The rest of the boys (18) sit in pairs with another boy (9 pairs), and the rest of the girls (6) sit with another girl (3 pairs).
Since there are 12 girls total and 24 boys total in the class, the total number of students is the sum of 12 and 24
12+24 =36 total students in the class
