MATHEMATICS FOR BUSINESS

Paper Code: CSCA125

MODULE - I

Ratio
The ratio of two quantities 'a' and 'b' of the same kind and in the same units is a
fraction a/b which shows that how many times one quantity is of the other and is written as a
: b where b ≠ 0.

Terms of the ratio

In the ratio a : b, the quantities a and b are called terms of the ratio. Here, 'a' is called the first
term or the antecedent and `b' is called the second term or consequent.

Example:
In the ratio 5 : 9, 5 is called the antecedent and 9 is called the consequent.

Note:
● In ratio, quantities being compared must be of the same kind, otherwise the comparison
becomes meaningless. For example; comparing 20 pens and 10 apples is meaningless.
● They must be expressed in the same units.
● In a ratio, order of the terms is very important. The ratio a: b is different from b : a.
●The ratio is a quotient (fraction), its denominator cannot be zero.
● The ratio has no units.

Ratio in the simplest form

A ratio a : b is said to be in the simplest form if a and b have no common factor other than 1.
Inverse Ratio

Continued Ratio
Proportion

Continued Proportion

Properties Of Proportion
Example
The third proportional of 16 and 20 is 25.
Direct proportion
It is the relation between two quantities where the ratio of the two is equal to a constant value.
It is represented by the proportional symbol, ∝. For example, x and y are two quantities or
variables which are linked with each other directly, then we can say x ∝ y. When we remove
the proportionality symbol, the ratio of x and y becomes equal to a constant, such as x/y = C,
where C is a constant. But in the case of inverse proportion, x and y are denoted as x ∝ 1/y or
xy = C.

Inverse proportion
Inverse proportion is the relationship between two variables when their product is equal to a
constant value. When the value of one variable increases, the other decreases, so their product
is unchanged. y is inversely proportional to x when the equation takes the form: y = k/x or xy
= k where k is a constant. In contrast, directly proportional variables increase or decrease with
each other.

Inverse Variation
A relationship between two variables in which the product is a constant. When one variable
increases the other decreases in proportion so that the product is unchanged. If b is inversely
proportional to a, the equation is of the form b = k/a (where k is a constant).

When two variables change in inverse proportion it is called as indirect variation. In indirect
variation one variable is constant times inverse of other. If one variable increases other will
decrease, if one decrease other will also increase. This means that the variables change in a
same ratio but inversely.

Percentage
In mathematics, a percentage (from Latin per centum "by a hundred") is a number
or ratio expressed as a fraction of 100. It is often denoted using the percent sign. A percentage
is a dimensionless number.

Example
Express 15 : 10 in the simplest form.
Solution:
15/10 = 3/2 .

1. Express the following ratios in the simplest form.

(a) 64 cm to 4.8 m
(b) 36 minutes to 36 seconds
(c) 30 dozen to 2 hundred
Solution:
(a) Required ratio = 64 cm/4.8 m
= 64 cm/(4.8 × 100) cm
= 64 cm/480cm
= 64/480
= 2/15
= 2 : 15
(b) Required ratio = 36 minutes/36 seconds
= (36 × 60 seconds)/(36 seconds)
= 60/1
= 60 ∶ 1
(c) Required ratio = (30 dozen)/(2 hundred)
= (30 × 12)/(2 × 100 )
= 18/10
=9∶5

2. Two numbers are in the ratio 3 : 4. If the sum of numbers is 63, find the numbers.
Solution:
Sum of the terms of the ratio = 3 + 4 = 7
Sum of numbers = 63
Therefore, first number = 3/7 × 63 = 27
Second number = 4/7 × 63 = 36
Therefore, the two numbers are 27 and 36.

3. In a certain room, there are 28 women and 21 men. What is the ratio of men to women?
What is the ratio of women to the total number of people?
Solution:
Men : Women = 21 : 28 = 3:4
Women : Total number of people = 28 : 49 = 4 : 7

4. In a group, the ratio of doctors to lawyers is 5:4. If the total number of people in the group
is 72, what is the number of lawyers in the group?
Solution:
Let the number of doctors be 5x and the number of lawyers be 4x.
Then 5x+4x = 72 → x=8.
So the number of lawyers in the group is 4*8 = 32.

5. If 2A = 3B = 4C, find A : B : C
Solution:
Let 2A = 3B = 4C = x.
So, A = x/2, B = x/3, C = x/4.
The L.C.M of 2, 3 and 4 is 12
Therefore, A : B : C =( x/2) × 12 :( x/3) × 12 : (x/4) × 12
= 6x : 4x : 3x
=6:4:3
Therefore, A : B : C = 6 : 4 : 3

6. What must be added to each term of the ratio 2 : 3, so that it may become equal to 4 : 5?
Solution:
Let the number to be added be x, then (2 + x) : (3 + x) = 4 : 5
⇒ (2 + x)/(5 + x) = 4/5
5(2 + x) = 4(3 + x)
10 + 5x = 12 + 4x
5x - 4x = 12 - 10
x=2

7. The first, second and third terms of the proportion are 42, 36, 35. Find the fourth term.
Solution:
Let the fourth term be x.
Thus 42, 36, 35, x are in proportion.
Product of extreme terms = 42 ×x. Product of mean terms = 36 × 35
Since, the numbers make up a proportion.
Therefore, 42 × x = 36 × 35
or, x = (36 × 35)/42 or, x = 30
Therefore, the fourth term of the proportion is 30.

8. The ratio of number of boys and girls is 4 : 3. If there are 18 girls in a class, find the
number of boys in the class and the total number of students in the class.
Solution:
Number of girls in the class = 18
Ratio of boys and girls = 4 : 3
Boys/Girls = 4/5
Boys/18 = 4/5
Boys = (4 × 18)/3 = 24
Therefore, total number of students = 24 + 18 = 42.

9. Find the third proportional of 16 and 20.

Solution:
Let the third proportional of 16 and 20 be x.
Then 16, 20, x are in proportion.
This means 16 : 20 = 20 : x
So, 16 × x = 20 × 20
x = (20 × 20)/16 = 25
10.In a mixture of 45 litres, the ratio of sugar solution to salt solution is 1:2. What is the
amount of sugar solution to be added if the ratio has to be 2:1?
Solution:
Number of litres of sugar solution in the mixture = (1/(1+2)) *45 = 15 litres.
So, 45-15 = 30 litres of salt solution is present in it.
Let the quantity of sugar solution to be added be x litres.
Setting up the proportion,
sugar solution / salt solution = (15+x)/30 = 2/1 → x = 45.
Therefore, 45 litres of sugar solution has to be added to bring it to the ratio 2:1.

11. If a 60 ml of water contains 12% of chlorine, how much water must be added in order to
create a 8% chlorine solution?
Solution:
Let x ml of chlorine be present in water.
Then, 12/100 = x/60 → x = 7.2 ml
Therefore, 7.2 ml is present in 60 ml of water.
In order for this 7.2 ml to constitute 8% of the solution, we need to add extra water. Let this be
y ml.
Then, 8/100 = 7.2/y → y = 90 ml.
So in order to get a 8% chlorine solution, we need to add 90-60 = 30 ml of water.

12. The ratio of the no. of boys to the no. of girls in a school of 720 students is 3:5. If 18 new
girls are admitted in the school, find how many new boys may be admitted so that the ratio of
the no. of boys to the no. of girls may change to 2:3.
Solution :
Sum of the terms in the given ratio is = 3 + 5= 8
So, no. of boys in the school is = 720 ⋅ (3/8)= 270
No. of girls in the school is = 720 ⋅ (5/8) = 450

13. Find the mean proportion between 4 and 9.

Solution:
Let the mean proportion be x
Therefore, 4 : x = x : 9
⇒x×x=4×9
⇒ x2 = 36 ⇒ x2 = 62 ⇒ x = 6

14. Find, m, if 7, 14, m are in continued proportion.

Solution:
x, y and z are in continued proportion xz = y2
Let 7, 14, and m be x, y and z respectively.
Therefore, 7m = 142
or, 7m = 196 or, m = 196/7
Hence, m = 28.

15. Find the third proportional to 12 and 30.

Solution:
Let x be the third proportional
Therefore, 12 : 30 = x : 30
⇒ 12 × x = 30 × 30
⇒ 12x = 900 ⇒ x = 900/12 ⇒ x = 75
16. An electric pole, 7 meters high, casts a shadow of 5 meters. Find the height of a tree that
casts a shadow of 10 meters under similar conditions.
Solution:
Let the height of the tree be x meters. We know that if the height of pole increases the length
of shadow will also increase in same proportion.
Hence, we observe that the height of the tree and the length of its shadow exist in direct
proportion. In other words height of pole is directly proportional to the length of its shadow.
Thus, x1y1 = x2y2
7*5 = x*10
x = 14 meters

17. A train travels 200 km in 5 hours. How much time it will take to cover 600 km?
Solution:
Let the time taken be T hours. We know that time taken is directly proportional to distance
covered. Hence, x1y1 = x2y2
⇒ 2005 = 600T
T = 15 hours

18. The scale of a map is given as 1:20000000. Two cities are 4cm apart on the map. Find the
actual distance between them.
Solution:
Map distance is 4 cm Let the actual distance be x cm, then 1:20000000 = 4:x.
1/20000000 = 4/x
⇒ x = 80000000 cm = 800 km

19.A car travels 100 km in 1 hour. How far will it travel in 3 hours?
Answer:
The multiplying constant is 100.
3 × 100 = 300 km

20. Four bags of cement are needed to make 1 cubic metre of concrete. How many bags are
needed to make 5 cubic metres of concrete?
Answer:
The multiplying constant is 4.
5 × 4 = 20 bags

20. A sick child whose mass is 14 kg should receive medication dose that is in proportion to
the dose of a 70 kg adult. If the adult dose is 10ml, how much should the child receive?
Answer:
The multiplying constant is 70 ÷ 14 = 5.
10 ÷ 5 = 2 ml.

21. Calculate 25% of 80

25% = 25/100
And (25/100) × 80 = 20
So 25% of 80 is 20

22. 15% of 200 apples are bad. How many apples are bad?
15% = 15100
And (15/100) × 200 = (15 × 200)/100
 = 15 × 2
= 30 apples
30 apples are bad

23. If only 10 of the 200 apples are bad, what percent is that?
As a fraction, 10/200 = 0.05
As a percentage it is: = 5%
5% of those apples are bad

24. A Skateboard is reduced 25% in price in a sale. The old price was $120.
Find the new price.

First, find 25% of $120:

25% = 25/100
And (25/100) × $120 = $30
25% of $120 is $30
So the reduction is $30
Take the reduction from the original price
$120 − $30 = $90
The Price of the Skateboard in the sale is $90

25. Suppose that Rs. 74000 are to be divided among three friends A, B, C, such that A : B = 4
: 5 and B : C = 3 : 2

Sum of ratio = 12 + 15 + 10 = 37
Share of A = (12/37)x 74000 = 12 x 2000 = 24000
Share of B = (15/37) x 74000 = 15 x 2000 = 30000
Share of C = (10/37)x 74000 = 10 x 2000 = 20000

26. If k, 8, 16 are in continued proportion then find k.

Solution:
k, 8 and 16 are in continued proportion.
⟹ k : 8 = 8 : 16
⟹ k/8 = 8/16
⟹ k × 16 = 8*8⟹ 16k = 64
⟹ k = 4 Therefore, the value of k = 4.
If a car runs at a constant speed and takes 3 hrs to run a distance of 180 km, what time it will
take to run 100 km?
Solution:
If T is the time taken to cover the distance and S is the distance and V is the speed of the car,
the direct variation equation is S= VT where V is constant.
For the case given in the problem,
180 = V × 3 or V = 180/3 = 60
So speed of the car is 60kmph and it is constant.
For 100 km distance
S = VT or 100 = 60 × T
T = 100/60= 1 hr 40 mins.
If P varies indirectly as Q and the value of P is 4 and Q is 3, what is the equation that describes
this indirect variation of P and Q?
Solution:
As P varies indirectly with Q, product of P and Q is constant for any value of P and Q.
So constant K = PQ = 4 × 3 = 12
So the equation that describes the direct variation of P and Q is 12.

1. If y varies inversely as x, and y = 6 when x = , write an equation describing this inverse

variation.
k= (6) = 8
xy = 8 or y =

2. If y varies inversely as x, and the constant of variation is k = , what is y when x = 10?

xy =
10y =
y= × = × =

3. If y varies inversely as x, and y = 10 when x = 6, then what is y when x = 15?

x1y1 = x2y2
6(10) = 15y
60 = 15y
y=4
Thus, when x = 6, y = 4.

Joint variation
If more than two variables are related directly or one variable changes with the change product
of two or more variables it is called as joint variation.
Joint variation describes a situation where one variable depends on two (or more) other
variables, and varies directly as each of them when the others are held constant.

1. The variable x is in joint variation with y and z. When the values of y and z are 4 and 6, x is
16. What is the value of x when y = 8 and z =12?
Solution:
The equation for the given problem of joint variation is
x = Kyz where K is the constant.
For the given data
16 = K × 4 × 6
or, K = 2/3.
So substituting the value of K the equation becomes
x = (2/3)yz
Now for the required condition
x = (2/3)×8×12
= 64
Hence the value of x will be 64.
2. A is in joint variation with B and square of C. When A = 144, B = 4 and C = 3. Then what
is the value of A when B = 6 and C = 4?
Solution:
From the given problem equation for the joint variation is
A = KBC2
From the given data value of the constant K is
144 = K*4*3*3
K = 144/(4*3*3)
= 4.
Substituting the value of K in the equation
A = 4*6*4*4
A = 384

3.A percentage describes how many parts there are out of one hundred parts of a particular
thing. If there are 60% of the people in a theatre with brown eyes, then for every 100 people
in the theatre, 60 of them have brown eyes.

4. If there are 250 people in the theatre approximately how many have brown eyes?
60% of 250

4.
Percentage Change

% change = new value - original value × 100

original value

5. The price of some apples is increased from 48p to 67p. By how much percent has the price
increased by?
% change = 67 - 48 × 100
48
= 39.58%

Percentage Error
% error = error × 100
real value
6. Nicola measures the length of her textbook as 20cm. If the length is actually 17.6cm, what
is the percentage error in Nicola's calculation?
% error = 20 - 17.6 × 100 = 13.64%
17.6
Original value
Original value = New value × 100
100 + %change
7. Amish buys a stamp collection and makes a 35% profit by selling it for £2700. Find the cost
of the collection. It is the original value we wish to find, so the above formula is used.
2700 × 100 = £2000
100 + 35
Percentage decreases
New value = 100 - percentage decrease × original value
100