Mathematics
Direct Proportion
Author: Karelien Kriel
Made in South Africa
Direct
Proportion
arelien Kriel ©, July 2014
Direct Proportion /
Slide 1
When is it direct
proportion?
It is when both quantities increase, for
example, if you buy more apples you will
have to pay more money.
OR
when both quantities decrease, for example,
if I drink less cups of coffee per day I will
also take in less sugar per day.
Direct Proportion /
Slide 2
Example 1:
Two mangoes cost R10. How much will six
mangoes cost?
Step 1: Write down the information. [Remember
that things with the SAME units need to be written
underneath each other.]
2 mangoes R10
6 mangoes R?
Step 2: Find the side that has all the information
(two “things”) and do a calculation ( or ) to find the
bottom number.
2 mangoes R10
3
6 mangoes R?
Direct Proportion /
Slide 3
Step 3: What you do on the one side, you have to
do on the other side.
2 mangoes R10
3 3
6 mangoes R?
Step 4: Write down the calculation and determine
the answer.
R10 3
= R30
This example was very easy because we could just
multiply by 3.
Direct Proportion /
Slide 4
Example 2:
If 200g of apples cost R5,25, how much will 500 g of
apples cost?
Step 1: Write down the information. [Remember
that things with the SAME units need to be written
underneath each other.]
200g apples R5,25
500g apples R?
Step 2: Find the side that has all the information
(two “things”) and do a calculation ( or ) to find the
bottom number.
In this case we can’t say something like “ 2” (that
gives you 400g) or “ 3” (that gives you 600g).
So HOW do you get from 200g to 500g???
Direct Proportion /
Slide 5
Step 2 (continues): First divide by 200 to work out
the cost of 1g of apples and then multiply that
amount with 500 to work out the cost for 500g of
apples.
200
200g apples R5,25
500 1g ?
500g apples R?
Step 3: What you do on the one side, you have to
do on the other side.
200 200
200g apples R5,25
500
1g ? 500
500g apples R?
Direct Proportion /
Slide 6
Step 4: Write down the calculation and determine
the answer.
R5,25 200g 500g
R13,13
This example was very easy because we could just
multiply by 3.
Direct Proportion /
Slide 7
Summary of steps: how to do direct
proportion
Step 1: Write down the information. Remember that
things with the SAME units need to be
written underneath each other.
Step 2: Find the side that has all the information (2
“things”). Divide by the top number to get 1
and then multiply by the bottom number to
get that number.
Step 3: What you do on the one side, you have to
do on the other side.
Step 4: Write down the calculation and determine
the final answer. Round off the final answer,
if necessary.
Direct Proportion /
Slide 8
Example 3:
It takes Julia 45 minutes to drive 60km. How far
can she drive in an hour if she keeps on driving at
the same average speed?
Step 1
45 minutes 60km
1 hour R?
Step 2: In this step we also have to convert hours
to minutes because the quantities must be
measured in the same units.
45
45 minutes 60km
1 minute ?
60
60 minutes R?
Direct Proportion /
Slide 9
Step 3:
45
45 minutes 60km 45
1 minute ?
60 60
60 minutes R?
Step 4:
60km 45 min 60 min
= 80km