Ratio and Proportion
At the corner store, a 2-pound bag of rice costs 100 pesos. On a map of the island, 1 cm stands for many real kilometers. In a passion fruit juice recipe, for every 2 cups of pulp you use 5 cups of water. All three statements compare two quantities by dividing: that is a ratio.
Ratio between two quantities
In a Secondary Year 1 class, 12 students play basketball and 18 play baseball. The basketball-to-baseball ratio is $\frac{12}{18} = \frac{2}{3}$: for every 2 who play basketball, there are 3 who play baseball.
In a 7th grade class, there are $12$ students who play basketball and $18$ students who play soccer. Write the ratio of the number of basketball players to soccer…
In a 7th grade class, there are $12$ students who play basketball and $18$ students who play soccer. Write the ratio of the number of basketball players to soccer players. Explain in your own words what the result means after simplifying the fraction.
Look at the following drawing representing the pieces of fruit in a fruit bowl. Calculate the ratio of the number of apples (orange) to the number of pears (soft white).
Look at the following drawing representing the pieces of fruit in a fruit bowl. Calculate the ratio of the number of apples (orange) to the number of pears (soft white).
In an adventure video game, your character has obtained $24$ health potions after opening $6$ magic chests. Calculate the ratio of the number of potions to the number of…
In an adventure video game, your character has obtained $24$ health potions after opening $6$ magic chests. Calculate the ratio of the number of potions to the number of chests. On average, how many health potions are there in each chest?
Simplifying a ratio and equivalent ratios
A ratio is simplified just like a fraction: by dividing both terms by the same number until you can't anymore. This gives you an equivalent ratio that is easier to interpret.
When the two quantities are of different kinds, the ratio carries units (m/s, pesos per gram, pages per hour). Dividing the numerator by the denominator gives the value per one unit.
A radio-controlled car travels a distance of $45$ meters in $15$ seconds. Calculate the ratio of distance to time. What physical quantity does this result represent?
A radio-controlled car travels a distance of $45$ meters in $15$ seconds. Calculate the ratio of distance to time. What physical quantity does this result represent?
Un paquete de $500$ gramos de cereales cuesta $210$ pesos. Expresa la razón entre el precio y el peso en gramos. Después, calcula el valor decimal de esa razón para…
Un paquete de $500$ gramos de cereales cuesta $210$ pesos. Expresa la razón entre el precio y el peso en gramos. Después, calcula el valor decimal de esa razón para saber cuánto cuesta $1$ solo gramo de cereales.
In a basketball training session, Lucía scored $18$ three-pointers out of $30$ shots taken, while her teammate Marcos scored $14$ three-pointers out of $20$ shots. a)…
In a basketball training session, Lucía scored $18$ three-pointers out of $30$ shots taken, while her teammate Marcos scored $14$ three-pointers out of $20$ shots.
- a) Express the success ratio of each player as a decimal number.
- b) Which of the two has a better success ratio? Justify your answer by comparing both values.
Comparing ratios and sharing in a given ratio
To find out who performs better, calculate each person's ratio and compare them.
Ratios are also used to share a quantity. If in a class of 32 students the ratio of those who prefer Physical Education to those who prefer Art is $3:5$, each "group" has $3 + 5 = 8$ parts.
Marta has read $60$ pages of a novel in $2$ hours, while her brother Javier has read $45$ pages in $1.5$ hours. Calculate the ratio of pages to hours for Marta.…
Marta has read $60$ pages of a novel in $2$ hours, while her brother Javier has read $45$ pages in $1.5$ hours.
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Calculate the ratio of pages to hours for Marta.
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Calculate the ratio of pages to hours for Javier.
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Do they both read at the same speed? Justify your answer.
A travel influencer has reviewed her Instagram statistics. In her latest post, she got $4,500$ likes after receiving a total of $60,000$ views. a) Calculate the ratio of…
A travel influencer has reviewed her Instagram statistics. In her latest post, she got $4,500$ likes after receiving a total of $60,000$ views.
- a) Calculate the ratio of the number of likes to the number of views.
- b) If in the next photo the ratio is $0.1$, which of the two photos was proportionally more successful among her followers?
A sweet shop offers two types of bags of gummy sweets: Bag A: contains $250\text{ g}$ and costs $\text{RD\$}\ 210$. Bag B: contains $400\text{ g}…
A sweet shop offers two types of bags of gummy sweets:
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Bag A: contains $250\text{ g}$ and costs $\text{RD\$}\ 210$.
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Bag B: contains $400\text{ g}$ and costs $\text{RD\$}\ 312$.
- a) Calculate the price-to-weight ratio for each bag.
- b) Which of the two bags is cheaper value for money? Justify your answer using the values obtained.
An influencer's "engagement rate" is calculated by comparing the number of interactions (likes and comments) with their total number of followers. User A has $12,500$…
An influencer's "engagement rate" is calculated by comparing the number of interactions (likes and comments) with their total number of followers.
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User A has $12,500$ followers and received $625$ interactions on their latest photo.
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User B has $45,000$ followers and received $2,160$ interactions.
Calculate the ratio of interactions per follower for each one. Which of the two has a proportionally more active audience? Express the result as a decimal and explain what that value means in this context.
Maps, plans, and scales
On a treasure island map from a movie, the distance between "Pirate Harbor" and "Skull Mountain" is $15\text{ cm}$. In reality, that distance is $4.5\text{ km}$. a)…
On a treasure island map from a movie, the distance between "Pirate Harbor" and "Skull Mountain" is $15\text{ cm}$. In reality, that distance is $4.5\text{ km}$.
- a) Calculate the ratio of the map measurement to the real-life measurement (remember to convert both to the same unit, for example, centimeters).
- b) What is the name of this special ratio used on maps?
In your 7th grade class there are $32$ students in total. It is known that for every $3$ students who prefer PE classes, there are $5$ students who prefer Art. a) Write…
In your 7th grade class there are $32$ students in total. It is known that for every $3$ students who prefer PE classes, there are $5$ students who prefer Art.
- a) Write the ratio of those who prefer PE to those who prefer Art.
- b) If these are the only two options and everyone has chosen one, how many students prefer each subject? (Hint: notice that the sum of the terms in the simplified ratio is $3 + 5 = 8$).
The ratio of the length of the base to the height of old cinema screens was $4:3$ (almost square aspect ratio), whereas in modern cinemas the ratio is usually $21:9$…
The ratio of the length of the base to the height of old cinema screens was $4:3$ (almost square aspect ratio), whereas in modern cinemas the ratio is usually $21:9$ (widescreen format).
If a modern cinema screen has a height of $6.3$ meters, how long is its base? What would the base of an old screen be with that same height of $6.3$ meters? Compare both results and explain which of the two screens is more "elongated".
Proportions: equality of ratios
For example, mixture A has 2 cups of syrup for every 5 cups of water, and mixture B has 4 for every 10. Since $\frac{2}{5} = \frac{4}{10}$, the two mixtures are proportional and taste the same.
If you know three terms, you can find the fourth:
$$\frac{2}{5} = \frac{10}{x} \ \Rightarrow\ 2x = 50 \ \Rightarrow\ x = 25$$To prepare a pink paint mixture, an artist uses $3$ tins of white paint for every $2$ tins of red paint. Write the ratio of white paint to red paint. If the artist…
To prepare a pink paint mixture, an artist uses $3$ tins of white paint for every $2$ tins of red paint.
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Write the ratio of white paint to red paint.
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If the artist decided to use $6$ tins of red paint, how many tins of white paint should he use to keep the same shade of pink?
Look at these two mixtures of water and strawberry syrup. Mixture $A$ has $2$ glasses of syrup for every $5$ glasses of water. Mixture $B$ has $4$ glasses of syrup for…
Look at these two mixtures of water and strawberry syrup. Mixture $A$ has $2$ glasses of syrup for every $5$ glasses of water. Mixture $B$ has $4$ glasses of syrup for every $10$ glasses of water.
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Write the ratio for each mixture.
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Are these mixtures proportional? That is, will they taste the same?
In a strategy video game, to craft a "Super Speed" potion, the alchemist uses $150\text{ mg}$ of stardust for every $250\text{ ml}$ of magic water. a) Express the ratio…
In a strategy video game, to craft a "Super Speed" potion, the alchemist uses $150\text{ mg}$ of stardust for every $250\text{ ml}$ of magic water.
- a) Express the ratio of stardust to magic water. Simplify the result and interpret what this value means.
- b) Calculate the inverse ratio (magic water to stardust) and explain what information it gives us.
To prepare a very special shade of orange, a graffiti artist mixes $1.2\text{ liters}$ of red paint with $0.8\text{ liters}$ of yellow paint. a) Write the ratio of the…
To prepare a very special shade of orange, a graffiti artist mixes $1.2\text{ liters}$ of red paint with $0.8\text{ liters}$ of yellow paint.
- a) Write the ratio of the amount of red paint to yellow paint. Express it as an irreducible fraction.
- b) If he wants to keep the same shade but only has $0.5\text{ liters}$ of yellow paint, what amount of red paint should he use? (Use the ratio obtained in the previous part).
A street artist is creating a new color "Cyber Green" by mixing blue paint and yellow paint. In her first tin, she mixed $0.75$ liters of blue with $1.2$ liters of…
A street artist is creating a new color "Cyber Green" by mixing blue paint and yellow paint. In her first tin, she mixed $0.75$ liters of blue with $1.2$ liters of yellow. Running out of paint, she decides to prepare a second mixture in a larger tin using $2.5$ liters of blue. How many liters of yellow must she add so that the ratio of blue to yellow is exactly the same as in the first mixture? Express the initial ratio as a simplified fraction.
In a basketball practice, Lucía scored $18$ shots out of $25$ attempts, while Marcos scored $24$ out of $32$ attempts. a) Write the success ratio for each player. b)…
In a basketball practice, Lucía scored $18$ shots out of $25$ attempts, while Marcos scored $24$ out of $32$ attempts.
- a) Write the success ratio for each player.
- b) Calculate the decimal value of each ratio.
- c) If both maintain their efficiency and shoot $100$ times, how many baskets will each one score? Are these ratios equivalent? Justify your answer using the cross-multiplication of extremes and means.
Ratios in everyday life
Many everyday measurements are ratios: speed (distance/time), fuel consumption (gallons/kilometers), population density (inhabitants/km²), or unit price (pesos/pound).
To convert a ratio to a percent, multiply its decimal value by 100: a ratio of $0.3$ equals $30\%$.
A hummingbird can flap its wings about $4,800$ times in one minute. On the other hand, a griffon vulture flaps them about $120$ times every minute. a) Calculate the…
A hummingbird can flap its wings about $4,800$ times in one minute. On the other hand, a griffon vulture flaps them about $120$ times every minute.
- a) Calculate the ratio between the hummingbird's wingbeats and the vulture's. What does that number mean?
- b) If we compare the hummingbird's weight ($3\text{ g}$) with its length ($10\text{ cm}$), calculate the weight/length ratio. What units would that ratio have?
A hybrid car consumes $4.2$ liters of petrol to travel $100$ km, whereas a motorcycle consumes $1.5$ liters to travel $40$ km. a) Calculate the consumption ratio (liters…
A hybrid car consumes $4.2$ liters of petrol to travel $100$ km, whereas a motorcycle consumes $1.5$ liters to travel $40$ km.
- a) Calculate the consumption ratio (liters per kilometer) for each vehicle.
- b) Which of the two vehicles consumes less proportionally?
- c) If the consumption-to-distance ratio of a third vehicle is $0.052$, how many liters will it use on a journey of $250$ km?
In a nutrition study, the ratio of the amount of sugar to the total weight of two types of cereal is analysed. "Energy" cereal has $12$ g of sugar in a $40$ g serving.…
In a nutrition study, the ratio of the amount of sugar to the total weight of two types of cereal is analysed.
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"Energy" cereal has $12$ g of sugar in a $40$ g serving.
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"Health" cereal has $18$ g of sugar in a $75$ g box.
Calculate the ratio of sugar per gram of product for both. What percentage of sugar does each one have? (Remember that to convert a ratio to a percentage, you can multiply its decimal value by 100). Which of the two would you choose if you wanted to consume less sugar proportionally?
Population density is the ratio of the number of inhabitants to the area they occupy (inhabitants/km²). City X has a population of $1,250,000$ people and an area of…
Population density is the ratio of the number of inhabitants to the area they occupy (inhabitants/km²).
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City X has a population of $1,250,000$ people and an area of $450.5$ km².
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City Y has $840,000$ inhabitants and occupies $120.2$ km².
Calculate the population density of both cities, rounding to the nearest whole number. If City X tripled its population while maintaining its area, what would its new density be? Would it still be less dense than City Y?
Back to the beginning: the 2 pounds of rice at 100 pesos give a ratio of 50 pesos per pound, the map scale compares the drawing with reality, and the 2 : 5 juice recipe can be scaled up without changing the taste because it keeps the proportion.