7 Rate, Ratio and Proportion

7.2A Simplification of Ratios

Name: _________________________ Class: ___________

Objectives: 1. Understand the concepts of a ratio.

2. Learn how to simplify ratios using their properties.
3. Solve daily life problems by using ratios.

Key Points
1. A ratio is a comparison of quantities of the same kind by division. Ratios have no units.
a
2. For two quantities a and b, the ratio of a to b can be denoted as a : b or , where a ≠ 0 and b ≠ 0.
b
e.g. If a drink is made by mixing 3 L of orange juice with 2 L of apple juice, then
volume of orange juice : volume of apple juice 3 : 2.
3. For k ≠ 0,
a b
(i) a:b = ak :bk (ii) a : b = :
k k
Note: A ratio a : b is expressed in its simplest form if a and b are integers with no common factor other than 1.
e.g. 3 : 1 is the simplest form of 6 : 2.

1. Determine whether each of the following is true or false. Put a ‘✓’ in the appropriate box.

True False

(a) $500/day is a ratio.  

(b) a : b =
a
b
 
(c) 3 : 4 = 4 : 3  
(d)
1 1
: = 2:3
2 3
 
(e) If
a
b
= 10 , then a : b = 10 : 1.  
2. Simplify the following ratios.
(a) 12 : 30 ~ Example 7.5(a) (b) 25 : 60

= =

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 7 Rate, Ratio and Proportion

1 1 2 6
(c) : ~ Example 7.5(b) (d) :
2 4 3 5 Multiply each quantity
by the L.C.M. of the
= = denominators of the
quantities first.

(e) 0.6 : 0.2 (f) 0.4 : 2.4

Convert the decimals
= = into integers first.

3. Simplify the following ratios.

(a) 25 mL : 5 mL ~ Example 7.5(c) (b) 3.2 g : 5.6 g

= =

(c) 2 m : 10 cm ~ Example 7.5(d) (d) 210 min : 2 h

=( ) cm : ( ) cm = Express the two
quantities in the
= same unit first.

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 7 Rate, Ratio and Proportion

4. The figure consists of 9 identical squares. Find the ratio of the total
area of the shaded regions to the total area of the white regions.
Solution
Total area of the shaded regions : total area of the white regions
=

5. There are 33 pieces of sushi in a package, of which 12 pieces are tuna sushi and the rest are
salmon sushi. Find the ratios of
(a) the number of salmon sushi to that of tuna sushi,
(b) the number of salmon sushi to the total number of sushi. ~ Example 7.6

Solution
(a) (b)

6. In a farm, the total number of chickens and ducks is 52. The ratio of the number of chickens to
the number of ducks is 7 : 6. Find the numbers of chickens and ducks in the farm respectively.
~ Example 7.7
Solution

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 7 Rate, Ratio and Proportion

7. Tim and Jerry share a sum of money in the ratio 8 : 13. If Jerry gets $156, what is the original
sum of money? ~ Example 7.8

Solution

8. In a bag, the number of red beans and the number of green beans are in the ratio 4 : 9. If the
number of red beans is 88, find the total number of beans in the bag.
Solution

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