To solve the problem of expressing the ratio of 48 privates to 2 drill instructors, we need to find the simplest form of the ratio between these two numbers.
1. Identify the given values:
- The number of privates is 48.
- The number of drill instructors is 2.
2. Express the ratio:
- We are expressing the ratio of privates to instructors, so we start with the ratio 48:2.
3. Simplify the ratio:
- To simplify this ratio, we divide both terms by the greatest common divisor (GCD) of the two numbers. Here, the GCD of 48 and 2 is 2.
4. Divide both terms by the GCD:
- Divide 48 by 2 to get 24.
- Divide 2 by 2 to get 1.
5. Write the simplified ratio:
- After division, the ratio becomes 24:1.
The correct answer, therefore, is 24:1, which, when checking against the options provided, matches option D.
