DIRECT AND INVERSE

PROPORTION
Direct proportion
Two quantities are in direct proportion

Cost of apples ($)

if the graph of one quantity against the
other quantity is a straight line through
the origin.
So if one quantity doubles then the other
quantity doubles.

Number of apples sold

1 The cost of five apples is $3.25.

What is the cost of eight apples?

5 apples cost $3.25

1 apple cost $3.25 ÷ 5 = $0.65

8 apples cost $0.65 × 8 = $5.20

2 The recipe is for making cakes.
REEC
R CIPIPEE::
The mixture will make two cakes. uttteerr
00 gg bbut
2200
Helen wants to make seven cakes. uggaarr
1600 gg ssu
16
Calculate the amount of each ingredient needed. gss
44 eeggg
1500 gg sse
15 -raais
elflf-r flouurr
ingg flo
isin
illaa eess e
sseenncce
tspp vvaannill
11 ts

BUTTER: (200 ÷ 2) × 7 = 700 g

SUGAR: (160 ÷ 2) × 7 = 560g

EGGS: (4 ÷ 2) × 7 = 14 eggs

SELF-RAISING FLOUR: (150 ÷ 2) × 7 = 525 g

VANILLA ESSENCE: (1 ÷ 2) × 7 = 3.5 tsp

Inverse proportion
Two quantities are in inverse proportion if one quantity increases
at the same rate as the other quantity decreases.
So if one quantity doubles the other quantity halves.

1 It takes two men six hours to paint a fence.

How long would it take three men to paint the
same fence?

2 men take 6 hours

1 man will take 2 × 6 hours = 12 hours

3 men will take 12 ÷ 3 hours = 4 hours

2 A box of bird seed lasts 5 birds 15 days.
How long would the same packet of bird seed
last 30 birds? CHIRP
BIRD
SEED

5 birds for 15 days

1 bird for 15 × 5 days = 75 days

30 birds for 75 ÷ 30 days = 2.5 days

 Using graphs to convert
money from one currency to
another currency
The graph can be used to convert between UK pounds (£) and US dollars ($).

200

160
US dollars ($)

120

80

40

0
0 20 40 60 80 100
UK pounds (£)

a Use the graph to convert £70 to US dollars. £70 ≈ $116

b Use the graph to convert $60 to UK pounds. $60 ≈ £36

Direct proportion
1 y varies directly with x.
If y = 6 when x = 3, find y when x = 2.

y x

y  kx substitute y = 6 and x = 3 into the formula

6  3k solve to find k

k2 put k = 2 into the formula y = kx

y  2x This is the formula connecting y and x.

y  22

y4
2 y varies directly with x.
If y = 15 when x = 2.5, find x when y = 3.

y x

y  kx substitute y = 15 and x = 2.5 into the formula

15  2.5k solve to find k

k6 put k = 6 into the formula y = kx

y  6x This is the formula connecting y and x.

36x

x  0.5
3 y varies directly with the square of x.
If y = 48 when x = 4, find x when y = 12.

y  x2

y  kx 2 substitute y = 48 and x = 4 into the formula

48  16k solve to find k

k 3 put k = 3 into the formula y = kx2

y  3x 2 This is the formula connecting y and x.

12  3  x 2

x2
Inverse proportion
4 y varies inversely with x.
If y = 2 when x = 3, find y when x = 5.

1
y
x
k substitute y = 2 and x = 3 into the formula
y
x
k solve to find k
2
3
k
k6 put k = 6 into the formula y
x
6
y This is the formula connecting y and x.
x
6
y
5
y  1.2
5 y varies inversely with the square root of x.
If y = 6 when x = 4, find y when x = 36.

1
y
x
k
y substitute y = 6 and x = 4 into the formula
x
k
6 solve to find k
4
k
k  12 put k = 12 into the formula y 
x
12
y This is the formula connecting y and x.
x
12
y
36
y2