If 40% of one number equals two-thirds of a different number, what is the ratio of the first number to the second number?

Explanation

Let the first number be x and the second number be y. According to the problem, 40% of x equals two-thirds of y, which can be written as (40/100)x = (2/3)y. Simplifying, (2/5)x = (2/3)y, leading to x/y = (2/3) ÷ (2/5) = (2/3) × (5/2) = 5/3. However, since the question asks for the ratio of the first number to the second number, the correct ratio is 2 : 5.