Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
Region VII, Central Visayas
Division of Cebu Province

LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEETS

Grade 9, Quarter 2
Week 1

I. Activity Title: Illustrating situations that involve Direct, Inverse, Joint and Combined
variations
II. MELC: Illustrate situations that involve the following variations: (a)direct; (b) inverse; (c)
joint; (d) combined
III. In this activity you will…
a. Identify situations that involve direct, inverse, joint and combined variations
b. Relate direct, inverse, joint and combined variations to real life situation
c. Display sincerity in accomplishing the given task

IV. Introduction:
In Mathematics, we usually deal with two types of quantities (or variables) and Constant
quantities (or constants). If the value of a quantity remains unaltered under different
situations, it is called a constant. On the contrary, if the value of a quantity changes
under different situations, it is called a variable.

V. Discussion/Examples:

In problems relating to two or more variables, it is seen that the value of a variable
changes with the change in the value ( or values ) of the related variable (or variables).

Suppose a train running at a uniform speed of v km./h. travels a distance of d km. in t

hours. Obviously, if t remains unchanged then v increases or decreases according as d
increases or decreases. But if d remains unchanged, then v decreases or increases
according as t increases or decreases.

This shows that the change in the value of a variable may be accompanied differently
with the change in the values of related variables. Such relationship with regards to the
change in the value of a variable when the values of the related variables change, is
termed as variation.

 Direct Variation, where one variable is a constant multiple of another. The

statements:
“y varies directly as x”
“y is directly proportional to x” and
“y is proportional to x”

Are translated mathematically as y = kx, where k is the constant of variation. For

two quantities x and y, an increase in x causes an increase in y as well. Similarly, a
decrease in x causes a decrease in y.
 Examples:
[Link] length of the side a square varies directly with the perimeter of the square.
2. The weight of an object is directly proportional to its mass.
3. The fare of a passenger varies directly as the distance of his destination.

 Inverse or Indirect Variation, where when one of the variables increases, the

other one decreases (their product is constant)

For two quantities x and y, an increase in x causes a decrease in y or vice versa.

k
We can say that y varies inversely as x or y=
x

Examples:
1. When you travel to a particular location, as your speed increases, the time it
takes to arrive at that location decreases.
2. The cost per person of renting a private resort varies inversely as the number of
persons sharing the tent.
3. The base of a triangle varies inversely as its altitude.

 Joint Variation is a relationship between three variables, where one variable

varies directly as the product of two or more variables. 

a
The statement a varies jointly as b and c means a = kbc, or ¿ , where k is the
bc
constant of variation.

Examples:
[Link] relationship between distance, rate, and time in motion problems. Suppose
the rate is 60 miles per hour, and the time is 2 hours. The distance is 120 miles.
Similarly, if the rate is 70 miles an hour and the time is 3 hours, the distance is 120
miles.
2. The amount of gasoline used by a car varies jointly as the distance travelled and
the square root of the speed.
3. The mass of a rectangular sheet of wood varies jointly as the length and the
width.

 Combined Variation is a more complex relationship between three variables,

where one variable varies directly as one variable and inversely as another.  

kx ty
The statement t varies directly as x and inversely as y means t= or k =
y x
where k is the constant of variation.

Examples:
1. The force of attraction F of a body varies directly as its mass m times a constant
k and inversely as the square of the distance d between the bodies.
2. The current varies directly as the electromotive force and inversely as the
resistance.
3. The pressure of a gas varies directly as its temperature and inversely as its
volume.
VI. Assessment:
Level 1:

A. Underline the correct word that best satisfies the given situation.
1. More children in a family,( more, less ) money required to purchase food.
2. (More, Less) men at work, less work is done.
3. More money borrowed, (more, less) interest is to be paid.
4. More speed, (more, less) distance covered in fixed time.
5. (More, Less) working hours, less work will be done

B. Identify whether the following situations is a Direct, Inverse, Joint or Combined

Variation. Write your answer in the blank provided.

____________________1. The number of hours to finish a job to the number of men

working.
____________________2. The amount of weight on a spring and the distance the spring
will stretch.
____________________3. The age of a used car to its resale value
____________________4. The area of the wall to the amount of paint used to cover it
____________________5. The distance an airplane flies to the time travelling
____________________ 6. Kinetic energy(the energy something possesses due to being
in motion) to the mass(in kilograms) of that object and the square of the velocity (in
meters per seconds)
____________________ 7. Designer Dolls found that the number of its Dress Up Doll
sold, N, varies directly with their advertising budget, A, and inversely with the price of
each doll, P.
____________________ 8. The time it takes you to complete a puzzle is directly proportional
to the number of pieces and inversely proportional to how many people are working on it. 
____________________9. The cost of life insurance to the age of the insured person
____________________10. The time a teacher spends checking papers to the number of
students

LEVEL 2
A. Read the following scenarios and identify what type of variation it represents.
Encircle the best answer.

1. The length of time you charge your cell phone and the battery power
a. direct variation b. joint variation c. inverse variation d. none of these

2. The outside temperature and the number of layers of clothes you need to wear
outside to feel comfortable
a. direct variation b. joint variation c. inverse variation d. none of these

3. The grade you earn in a class and the number of assignments you complete and the
number of hours you study
a. direct variation b. joint variation c. inverse variation d. combined variation
4. You and some friends decide to buy 2 pizzas and split the cost evenly. The number of
friends who are sharing the cost of the pizzas and the amount of money you pay for your
share.
a. direct variation b. joint variation c. inverse variation d. combined variation

5. The amount of people at your Thanksgiving meal and the amount of leftovers.
a. direct variation b. joint variation c. inverse variation d. combined variation

B. Answer the following questions by filling out the blank the correct variation.

1. The volume of a cylinder varies _____________ as the height and the square of its
radius.
2 -3. The time required to process a shipment at Mamazon varies ______________ with
the number of orders being made and _____________ with the number of workers.
4. The amount of money raised in a concert varies ____________ to the number of
tickets sold.
5. The electrical voltage varies _____________ as the current and the resistance.
6. The pressure P of a gas varies ___________ as its temperature t and inversely as its
volume V.
7. The area of a triangle varies ____________ as the base b and the altitude h.
8. The acceleration of a car is ____________ proportional to its mass.
9. The area of a triangle is _____________ proportional to its height.
10. The cost of fish varies _____________ as its weight in kilograms.

Level 3

A. Read the phrases found at the right column in the table below. If the phrase is a direct
variation, place a letter D in the left column, place I for Inverse variation, J for Joint
variation and C for combined variation.

Phrase
1. The amount of water to the space that water did not occupy in a
particular container
2. The number of persons sharing a pie to the size of the slices of the pie
3. The time spent in walking to the rate at which a person walks
4. The speed of a car and the distance traveled in a certain amount of time.
5. The Intensity, I, of light received from a source to the square of the
distance, d, from the source.
6. The number of hours you work and the amount of your paycheck.
7. The amount of paint needed to paint the walls of a room to the area of
the wall.
8. The rate at which a person types a certain manuscript as the time spent in
typing.
9. The area of a parallelogram as to its base and altitude.
[Link] electrical resistance of a wire varies directly as its length and
inversely as the square of its diameter
 B. In your own, give one real life scenario that involves Direct, Inverse, Joint and
Combined variations.

1. Direct Variation
___________________________________________________________________

2. Inverse Variation
___________________________________________________________________

3. Joint Variation

___________________________________________________________________

4. Combined Variation

____________________________________________________________________

VII. Reference/s:
- Math 9 Learner’s Materials; pages 98-99, 107
- [Link]

Answer Key:

Level 1 Level 2 Level 3

A. A. A.
1. More 1. a 1. I
2. Less 2. c 2. I
3. More 3. b 3. I
4. More 4. c 4. D
5. Less 5. c 5. I
B. 6. D
1. Inverse Variation B. 7. D
2. Direct Variation 1. jointly 8. I
3. Inverse Variation 2. directly 9. J
4. Direct Variation 3. inversely 10. C
5. Direct Variation 4. directly
6. Joint Variation 5. jointly B. ( answers may vary)
7. Combined Variation 6. directly
8. Combined Variation 7. jointly
9. Direct Variation 8. directly
10. Direct Variation 9. directly
10. directly