Sam ranked is 9th from the top and thirty-eighth from the bottom in a class. How many students are there in the class?Select one:a. 45b. 46c. 47d. 48

Break Down the Problem

1. Identify Sam's rank from the top: 9th.
2. Identify Sam's rank from the bottom: 38th.
3. To find the total number of students, use the relationship between the ranks.

Relevant Concepts

The total number of students $N$ in a class can be calculated using the formula: $N = \text{Rank from the top} + \text{Rank from the bottom} - 1$

Analysis and Detail

1. Substituting Sam's ranks into the formula: $N = 9 + 38 - 1$
2. Now perform the arithmetic: $N = 47 - 1$ $N = 46$

Verify and Summarize

Double-check calculations:

• If Sam is 9th from the top, there are 8 students above him.
• If he is 38th from the bottom, there are 37 students below him.
• Therefore, the total number of students is: $8 + 1 + 37 = 46$ Confirmed!

Final Answer

The total number of students in the class is $\boxed{46}$.