What is Ratio? A ratio is a comparison of only two numbers or values.

We generally separate the two numbers in the ratio with a colon (:) A fraction is also known as a ratio. Ratios are written as a fraction or with a colon. Example: Q: Julie has a basket of 3 marbles, 7 chocolates and 9 pencils. What is the Ratio of chocolates to marbles? A: Expressed as a fraction, with the numerator equal to the first quantity (chocolates) and the denominator equal to the second (marbles), the answer would be 7/3. We can write this as 7:3 or say seven to three. Q: In Mr. Smiths class, the ratio of passing grades to failing grades is 8 to 5. How many of the 39 students failed the semester? A: The ratio, 8 to 5 (or 8 : 5 or 8/5), tells you that, of every 8 + 5 = 13 students, five failed. That is, 5/12 of the class flunked. Then ( 5/12 )(39) = 15 students failed. SAT TIP 1 : Express the ratio in its simplest form but look out for the types of units Eg: 10$ to 45$ =10$/45$=2/9 (here the $ too gets cancelled) Eg: 240 miles to 10 gallons = 240 miles/10 gallons = 30 miles per gallon. SAT TIP 2: Order Matters in Ratio! Remember a ratio of 3:4 is not the same as 4:3 SAT TIP 3: If a ratio is given to you in any form other than a fraction, set it up as a fraction; the first term going on top, the second on the bottom. What are Proportions? Any statement (or equation) that says two ratios are equal is called a proportion. In simple words, a proportion is a comparison between two ratios. = 15/20 A proportion can be compared as two ratios which are in the fraction form. There are two types of proportion: direct proportion and inverse/indirect proportion/inverse variation (examples below) When one of the four numbers in a proportion is unknown, cross-multiplication of products may be used to find the unknown number. Example: Solve for n: 1/2 = n/4. Using cross products we see that 2 n = 1 4 =4, so 2 n = 4. Dividing both sides by 2, n= 4 2 so that n = 2. In Solving a proportion with two variables: 15/x= x/1 x * x = 15 * 1 x2 = 15 You can either find what number squared is equal to 15(using Perfect Squares chart for reference) or change the problem to x = the square root of 15. Many times, you are expected to gather information from the problem that is not directly stated in words. Gathering this information is called inferring Example : In a class, the number of girls is 75% of the boys. There are 35 students. How many girls are there and how many boys? Direct Proportion means as one value increases, so does the other Example : Q. 5 books cost $ 1.28. How much do 7 books cost ? A. By Unitary method, you can find the value of 1 unit, then multiply to find the required units 1 book costs 1.28/5 , so 7 books would cost 1.28/5*7 $ = 1.79$ SAT TIP 1: Direct Proportions, like ratios need to be set up properly. The numerators should both refer to one thing, the denominators to the other. Example : Hours = Hours or 12 miles = x miles Watches Watches 4 hours 2 hours Indirect Proportion/Inverse Variation/Inverse Proportion means as one value increases, the other decreases. Example : If it takes 4 days for 10 men to dig a trench, how long will it take 8 men ? Men Days 10 4 1 10*4 8 40/8=5 Note: 8 men take longer than 10 men. Or 4:10 :: 8: x x=10*4/8 = 5 (by cross multiplication) SAT Tip 2: Be careful of mixed units. If one part of the question is given to you in feet and the other in inches, you will need to convert one to the other before you can continue. SAT Tip 3: If you are given an indirect proportion in a word problem, youre going to set it up opposite to the way a regular proportion works. So where a regular proportion could be written as y1/x1=y2/x2 , an indirect proportion will be set up as y1x1 = y2x2. Youre going to multiply the two things together rather than divide. Example : Farmer James has 2 sheep that can eat his pasture in 10 days. If he buys 3 more sheep, how many days will it take the flock to eat the pasture? Ans: You would set it up as 210 = 5d (Why 5? Because he bought 3 more sheep. That means he now has five total.) So the answer will be 4 days. Sat Tip 4 : If youre not sure you set up the equation properly, that is, you thought it was direct but youre not sure, check your answer to see if it makes sense. Does it make sense that more sheep would clear a pasture faster? Yes it does.