Seniors & juniors algebra word problem

Here's a word problem that someone sent me recently:

The total number of girls in the combined junior and senior classes is equal to the number of boys in those two classes. If the senior class has 400 students and the junior class has 300 students, and if the ratio of boys to girls in the senior class is 5:3, what is the ratio of boys to girls in junior class?

This problem gives a lot of information, and it sounds like it can be solved many different ways. But the first task is to notice what we are given and what we are asked.

• We are asked about a ratio. 
• We're given one ratio, and all kinds of totals. There are boys and girls, senior and junior classes. In other words, there are four groups: senior boys, senior girls, junior boys and junior boys.

This sounds like it can be solved by setting up some equations and using algebra.

To start, you could for example notice the two facts given about the senior class: The senior class has 400 students and the ratio of boys to girls is 5:3.

From this it is easy to solve the number of boys and girls in the senior class.
The ratio 5:3 means 5/8 of them are boys and 3/8 of them are girls. Now, 5/8 of 400 is 250, and 3/8 of it is 150.

So seniors are solved... now to juniors. Let

B1 = boys in junior class
G1 = girls in junior class.

The first sentence of the problem gives us an equation:
G1 + 150 = B1 + 250

We also now that G1 + B1 = 300.

So let's solve this system of two equations:
G1 + 150 = B1 + 250
G1 + B1 = 300

I can subtract the bottom one from the top one to get:

150 - B1 = B1 - 50

200 = 2B1
B1 = 100

Since the total was 300, then G1 is 200.
And now the ratio of boys to girls, it is 100:200 or 1:2. All done!

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You could also use straightforward algebra and set up four equations originally, using B1, G1, B2, and G2 for the numbers of boys and girls in junior and senior classes. You would get these four equations:

G1 + G2 = B1 + B2
B2 + G2 = 400
B1 + G1 = 300
B2/G2 = 5/3

And from these four you can solve all four unknowns, and then get the ratio of boys to girls in the junior class.