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Understanding Direct and Indirect Variation

Direct and indirect variation describe the relationship between two variables. Direct variation means the variables change in the same direction, so if one increases, the other does too. Indirect variation means the variables change in opposite directions, so if one increases, the other decreases. Direct variation can be expressed as y=kx, where k is the constant of proportionality. Indirect variation can be expressed as xy=k, where k is the product of the variables and remains constant. Examples are given of calculating direct and indirect variation problems by finding the constant k and using the appropriate formula to determine unknown variable values when the other variable is given.

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Cacait Rojanie
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105 views2 pages

Understanding Direct and Indirect Variation

Direct and indirect variation describe the relationship between two variables. Direct variation means the variables change in the same direction, so if one increases, the other does too. Indirect variation means the variables change in opposite directions, so if one increases, the other decreases. Direct variation can be expressed as y=kx, where k is the constant of proportionality. Indirect variation can be expressed as xy=k, where k is the product of the variables and remains constant. Examples are given of calculating direct and indirect variation problems by finding the constant k and using the appropriate formula to determine unknown variable values when the other variable is given.

Uploaded by

Cacait Rojanie
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© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Direct and Indirect Variation Variation, in general, will concern two variables; say height and weight of a person,

and how, when one of these changes, the other might be expected to change. We have direct variation if the two variables change in the same sense; i.e. if one increases, so does the other. We have indirect variation if one going up causes the other to go down. An example of this might be speed and time to do a particular journey; so the higher the speed, the shorter the time.

Normally we let x be the independent variable, and y the dependent variable, so that a change in x produces a change in y. For example, if x is number of motor cars on the road, and y the number of accidents; then we expect an increase in x to cause an increase in y. (This obviously ceases to apply if number of cars is so large that they are all stationary in a traffic jam.) Direct Variation When x and y are directly proportional, then doubling x will double the value of y; and if we y 2y divide these variables we get a constant result. Since if = k then = k where k is called the x 2x constant of proportionality. We could also write this y = kx. Thus if I am given the value of x, I multiply this number by k to find the value of y. Example: Given that y and x are directly proportional, and y = 2 when x = 5, find the value of when x = 15. We first find value of k, using y 2 = k. = k x 5

Now use this constant value in the equation y=kx for situation when x = 15. y= 2 30 15 = =6 5 5

If you want to do this quickly in your head, you could say x has been multiplied by a factor 3 (going from 5 to 15), so y must also go up by a factor of 3. That means y goes from 2 to 6.

Direct and Indirect Variation Indirect Variation. We gave an example of inverse proportion above, namely speed and time for a particular journey. In this case, if you double the speed, you halve the time. So the product, speed x time = constant. In general, if x and y are inversely proportional, then the product xy will be constant. xy = k or y = k x km to do a certain journey, how long hr

Example:

If it takes 4 hours at an average speed of 90 would it take at 120 km ? hr

k = speed time = 90 4 = 360 (k in this case is the distance.) Then time = k 360 = = 3 hours. speed 120 3 , so time must 4

To do this in your head, you could say that speed has changed by a factor change by a factor, above.

3 . However, for the usual type of problem, go through the steps I outlined 4

I hope these examples have made the idea of variation (both direct and inverse) reasonably clear. From Ask [Link] @ [Link]

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