At a particular track meet, the ratio of coaches to athletes is 1 to 26. If there are x coaches at the track meet, which of the following expressions represents the number of athletes at the track meet?

Explanation

The correct answer is 26x. The ratio of coaches to athletes is 1 to 26, meaning for every coach, there are 26 athletes. If there are x coaches, you multiply both sides of the ratio by x to maintain the ratio, resulting in x coaches and 26x athletes. The other options are incorrect because they do not maintain this ratio. x/26 implies fewer athletes than coaches, x+26 adds rather than multiplies, and 26/x suggests a division that is not relevant to finding the number of athletes.