Ratio and proportion

A. Ratio

A ratio is used to compare quantities

2 : 1 means the quantity on the left is double the quantity on the right
1 : 3 means the quantity on the right is treble the quantity on the left
4 : 3 for every 4 on left there is 3 on the right
A ratio has no units
A simplified ratio only uses whole numbers

B. Simplifying ratio
Before simplifying a ratio any units should be made the same
1kg = 1000g
a. 15 : 20 ÷5 b. 50p : £3 c. 2kg : 400g
3:4 50 : 300 ÷50 2000 : 400 ÷100
1:6 20 : 4
÷4
5:1
d. 8 : 3.2 x10 5 2 5 4
Firstly multiply to
e. : = : = 5:4
80 : 32 6 3 6 6
÷8 make the decimal a
10 : 4 Firstly make equivalent fractions
÷2 whole number
5:2 with the same denominator

C. Ratio and fractions

a. James and Elaine share a box of sweets in the ratio 2 : 3.
What fraction of the sweets do they each receive?
2 3
2 : 3 means there is 5 parts so James gets and Helen gets of the sweets
5 5
b. An orange drink is made by mixing 2 parts juice with 5 parts water.
5 2
This means of the drink is water and is juice
7 7

D. The ratio 1 : n or n : 1

Just divide to make one side = 1

This can make it easier to compare quantities

a. 4 : 12 ÷4
b. £4 : 80p
1:3 400 : 80
÷10 The left is 5 times the
We can now see the right is 3 40 : 8 size of the right
times the size of the left ÷8
5:1
c. 9 : 2 d. 5 : 9
÷2 ÷5
4.5 : 1 The left is 4.5 times the 9 The right is 1.8 times the
1:
size of the right 5 size of the left
1 : 1.8
e. 500g : 2kg 500g : 2kg
The left is one quarter
500 : 2000 The right is 4 times the or 500 : 2000
size of the left the size of the right
1:4 500 1
:1 = :1
2000 4

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 Ratio and proportion
E. Dividing into a ratio

Read the questions carefully as not all questions need the same method

a. £60 is to be share between Gary and Susan in the ratio 2 : 3. How much does Susan receive?
£60
2 : 3 needs 5 parts (2 + 3 = 5) = £12 in each part
5
Susan receives 3 x £12 = £36

b. Split £80 into two groups where one group is 3 times as big as the other
£80 3 : 1 or 1 : 3
= £20 in each part 3 x £20 = £60
4 Needs 4 parts

£60 : £20 or £20 : £60

c. Carol and Tim received some money in the ratio 5 : 4.

Tim received £60, how much was Carol's share?
C:T This time we know
or Tim got £60 = 4 parts
5:4 x15 how much one 1 part = 60 ÷ 4 = £15
? : £60 person receives Carol got 5 x £15 = £75
The multiplier
is 60 ÷ 4 = 15

5 x £15 = £75

d. To make concrete Alan mixes sand, cement and gravel in the ratio 3 : 1 : 4. He has 10kg of
gravel. How much sand and cement should he use?
C:S:G
The multiplier is
3:1:4 x2.5 10 ÷ 4 = 2.5
? : ? : 10 Cement = 3 x 2.5 = 7.5kg
Sand = 1 x 2.5 = 2.5kg

e. Helen and Ann shared a box of sweets in the ratio 4 : 7. Ann got 12 more sweets than Helen.
How many sweets did Ann have?
This time we know the gap

H:A The gap = 7 – 4 = 3

4:7 3 parts = 12 sweets We could use
1 part = 12 ÷ 3 = 4 sweets a build up H:A
Ann has 7 x 4 = 28 sweets method 4 : 7 (gap = 3)
8 : 14 (gap = 6)
12 : 21 (gap = 9)
16 : 28 (gap = 12)
The left increases in
steps of 4
Ann has 28 sweets
The right increases in
steps of 7 Keep going
until the gap
is 12

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 Ratio and proportion
F. Direct proportion
When quantities are in direct proportion their ratio stays the same as they increase or
decrease. e.g. If one doubles so does the other

a) 4 books cost £15 Find the cost of 8 books 15 x 2 = £30

Find the cost of 2 books 15 ÷ 2 = £7.50

Find the cost of 20 books 5 x 15 = £75

Find the cost of 1 book 15 ÷ 4 = £3.75

Now we know the cost of 1 book we can

calculate the cost of any number of books

Find the cost of 7 books 7 x £3.75 = £26.25

b) 6 boxes weigh 18kg, how much do 9 weigh?

18 x 1.5 = 27kg or 18 + 9 = 27kg Half as much again

1 box weighs 18 ÷ 6 = 3kg

Or find the weight of 1 box first
9 boxes weigh 9 x 3kg = 27kg

c) 5 tickets cost £45, how much do 8 tickets cost?

It’s not easy to turn 5
£45
1 ticket costs = £9 into 8. So find the cost
5 of 1 ticket first
8 tickets cost 8 x 9 = £72

d) Brian is going to the USA and sees the exchange rate £1 = $1.37
(i) How much will he get changing £250 into US dollars
£250 x 1.37 = $342.50 Every £1 gives $1.37

(ii) He returns home with $42. How much will he get in pounds when he converts this?
$42 ÷ 1.37 = 30.65693431 = £30.66

Remember to use correct

Every $1.37 gives £1 money notation

e) Matthew is on holiday in Spain and sees a new mobile phone on sale for €165. He knows
he can buy it at home for £140. Will the phone be cheaper in Spain or at home?
The exchange rate is £1 = €1.24
Convert the Euro price to £
£140 x 1.24 = €173.60 so it is cheaper in Spain
or the £ price to Euro
or
€165 ÷ 1.24 = 133.0645161 = £133.06 so it is cheaper in Spain

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 Ratio and proportion
G. Inverse proportion
When quantities are in invese proportion as one increases the other decreases at the same
rate.
e.g. If one doubles the other halves
a. It takes 1 man 4 days to decorate a room.
How long will it take 2 men? 4 ÷ 2 = 2 days
Double the men so
half the time

b. It takes 50 men 1 hour 40 minutes to erect a stage. How long will it take 40 men?
Be careful if using a calculator:
1hr 40 = 100 mins
1hr 40m is not 1.4 hrs
(Using minutes will be easier)

50 men = 100 mins

10 men = 5 x 100 = 500 mins (fewer men will take longer)
40 men = 500 ÷ 4 = 125 mins = 2hr 5 mins (more men will take less time)

c. It takes 4 men 3 hours to lay a 600m2 lawn in a Change one variable at a time.
garden. When you change one variable only alter one
How long will it take 5 men to lay a 1000m2 lawn? of the other variables

Men Time Lawn

4 men 3 hours 600m2 STARTING information

1 man 12 hours 600m2 (fewer men will take more time)

1 man 2 hours 100m2 (less lawn will take less time)

5 men 2 hours 500m2 (more lawn will take more men)

5 men 4 hours 1000m2 (more lawn will take more time)

It will take them 4 hours

An alternative route – remember changing one variable will affect only one other
Men Time Lawn

4 men 3 hours 600m2 STARTING information

4 men 0.5 hours 100m2 (less lawn will take less time)

1 man 2 hours 100m2 (fewer men will take more time)

1 man 20 hours 1000m2 (more lawn will take more time)

5 men 4 hours 1000m2 (more men will take less time)

It will take them 4 hours

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 Ratio and proportion
H. Value for money
To find the best buy or the best value for money we need to compare quantities of the
same size

£4.15
a. Bubble bath is available in two sizes. £1.65
Which size offers best value?
100ml 250ml

Method 1 (Make the small size up to the larger size)

250
= 2.5 (The multiplier is 2.5)
100
£1.65 x 2.5 = 4.125 = £4.13
Smaller bottle is better value

Method 2 (Make the same quantity for both bottles)

100ml and 250ml
5 small bottles cost 5 x £1.65 = £8.25 can both be made
2 large bottles cost 2 x £4.15 = £8.30 into 500ml

Smaller bottle is better value

Method 3 (Find how much you can buy for 1p)

100ml = 165p 250ml = 415p
100 250
ml = 1p ml = 1p
165 415
You get more for 1p
0.606 ml = 1p 0.602ml = 1p in the smaller bottle
Smaller bottle is better value

Method 4 (Find the price of 1ml for both bottles)

100ml = 165p 250ml = 415p
165 415
1 ml is cheaper in the 1 ml = 1 ml =
100 250
smaller bottle
1 ml = 1.65p 1 ml = 1.66p
Smaller bottle is better value

Put units on your working out.

It reminds you what you have calculated so you
can make the correct decision

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 Ratio and proportion
I. Direct proportion using algebra

When two quantities are in direct proportion one is a multiple of the other
t 1
Eg y = 3x p = 5q f= a= c
7 3

Learn the method to solve a direct proportion problem

1. Write a starting statement eg y α x or y α x2 etc
2. Change this to an equation eg y = kx or y = kx2
(We know one is a multiple of the other, k is the value of the multiplier)

3. Use the known facts to calculate k

4. Rewrite the equation using your value of k

1. y is directly proportional to the square of x, and when x = 4, y = 48

(i) Write an equation expressing y in terms of x
(ii) Find the value of y when x = 6
(iii) Find the value of x when y = 18.75

(i) y α x2 (the starting statement)

y = kx2 (the equation) We know it is direct proportion and
2
48 = k x 4 we know it is the square of x
48 = k x 16
48
=k ∴ k=3 ∴ y = 3x2
16

Now we know the equation we can use it

to answer the other questions

(ii) y = 3x2
y = 3 x 62
y = 3 x 36
y = 108 (iii) y = 3x2
18.75 = 3x2
18.75
= x2
3

∴ x2 = 6.25 ∴ x = √6.25 ∴ x = 2.5

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 Ratio and proportion
J. Inverse proportion using algebra

When two quantities are in inverse proportion if as one increases the other decreases
1 5
Eg y= 24 = pq b=
x c

Learn the method to solve an inverse proportion problem

1 1
1. Write a starting statement eg y α yα etc
x x2
k
2. Change this to an equation eg y = or yx = k
x
k
y= or yx2 = k
x2
3. Use the known facts to calculate k
4. Write the equation using your value of k

1. T is inversely proportional to the cube of p, and when p = 2, T = 5

(i) Write an equation expressing T in terms of p
(ii) Find the value of T when p = 5 We know it is inverse proportion so
it is ‘1 over’
(iii) Find the value of p when T = 0.625
and we know it is the cube of p

1
(i) T α (the starting statement)
p3
k
T= (the equation)
p3
k
5=
23
k
5=
8
𝟒𝟎
5x8=k ∴ k = 40 ∴T= or Tp3 = 40
𝐩𝟑

1 An alternative method 40
(i) T α (iii) T =
p3 p3
3
Tp = k 40
40 0.625 =
5x2 =k 3
(ii) T = p3
p3
5x8=k 40
40 p3 =
T= 0.625
∴ k = 40 ∴ Tp3 = 40 53
p3 = 64
40
𝟒𝟎 T= T = 0.32 p = 3√64
or T = 125
𝐩𝟑
p=4

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 Ratio and proportion
K. Map scales

Do you understand 1 : 100 000 means for every 1 on the

1 : 100 000 or 1 : 50 000? map there is 100 000 in real life.
As ratio does not use units, it can be
1 cm = 100 000 cm
or 1 mm = 100 000 mm etc

1. A map uses a scale of 1 : 100 000. How long is the road that is 4.3cm on the map?

4.3cm x 100 000 = 430 000cm

= 4300m 100cm = 1m

= 4.3km 1000m = 1km

2. A road is 6.4km long. How long will it be on a map that uses a scale of 1 : 50000?

6.4km = 6400m = 640000cm

Convert 6.4km to cm
640000
= 12.8cm
50000
= 4.3km

3. A lake appears as 3.5cm2 on a map with a scale of 1 : 50 000.

What is the area of the real lake?

You need to remember:

1m
Large length = Small length x SF
Large area = Small area x SF2
1m 1m2 100cm
Large volume = Small volume x SF3

100cm
Large area = Small area x SF2
2
1m2 = 100 x 100 = 10000cm2
Large area = 3.5 x 50 000
= 3.5 x 50 000 x 50 000
= 8750000000 cm2
8750000000
= 875000 m2
10000
= 0.875 km2

Can you expain why

it is 0.875km2

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