The ratio of boys to girls at Gauss Public School is $8: 5$. If there are 128 boys at the school, then how many students are there at the school?
(A) 218
(B) 253
(C) 208
(D) 133
(E) 198
Solution 1

Since the ratio of boys to girls is $8: 5$, then for every 5 girls there are 8 boys.

That is, the number of girls at Gauss Public School is $\frac{5}{8}$ of the number of boys.

Since the number of boys at the school is 128 , the number of girls is $\frac{5}{8} \times 128=\frac{640}{8}=80$.

The number of students at the school is the number of boys added to the number of girls or $128+80=208$.

## Solution 2

Since the ratio of boys to girls is $8: 5$, then for every 8 boys there are $8+5=13$ students. That is, the number of students at Gauss Public School is $\frac{13}{8}$ of the number of boys.

Since the number of boys at the school is 128 , the number of students is $\frac{13}{8} \times 128=\frac{1664}{8}=208$.

ANSWER: $(\mathrm{C})$