Correct Answer:
C. 20
The correct answer is 20. If the ratio of two numbers is 3:2, we can represent them as 3x and 2x. Their sum is 50, so 3x + 2x = 50. This simplifies to 5x = 50, meaning x = 10. The two numbers are then 3 * 10 = 30 and 2 * 10 = 20. The smaller number is 20.
- 30 is the larger number.
- 25 would be the result if the numbers were equal (25+25=50), which contradicts the 3:2 ratio.
- 10 is the value of 'x', not one of the numbers themselves.