Understanding Proportion

Ratio
 A ratio is the comparison of two numbers
by division.

 A classroom has 16 boys and 12 girls.

 Also written as 16 boys, 16:12 or 16 to 12

12 girls
 Generally, ratios are in lowest terms:
16 = 16/4 = 4
12 12/4 3
Ratio, continued

 Ratios can compare two unlike things:

 Joe earned $40 in five hours
 The ratio is 40 dollars or 8 dollars
5 hours 1 hour

 When the denominator is one, this is called

a unit rate.
Ratio, continued

Let’s look at a classroom:

 Ratios can be part-to-part
 16 boys
15 girls

 Ratios can be part-to-whole

 16 boys
31 students
Ratio, continued

 If a ratio is part-to-whole, you can divide

and find a decimal or a percent.

 16 boys
31 students

31/16.00 = .516, or 51.6% are boys

Proportion
 Proportion is a statement that says two ratios
are equal.
 In an election, Damon got three votes for each two
votes that Shannon got. Damon got 72 votes. How
many votes did Shannon get?

 Damon 3 = 72 so 3 x 24 = 72
Shannon 2 n 2 x 24 48

n = 48, so Shannon got 48 votes.

Proportion, continued
 Tires cost two for $75. How much will
four tires cost?

 # of tires 2 = 4 so 2 x 2 = 4 tires
cost 75 n 75 x 2 $150

n = 150, so four tires cost $150

Proportion, continued

 One more way to solve proportions:

 2=6 2xn=6x8 2n = 48
8 n 2 2

n = 24
Proportion, continued
 Now you try!
 Three cans of soup costs $5. How much
will 12 cans cost?

 # of cans 3 = 12 3 x 4 = 12 cans
cost 5 n 5x4 20 dollars

n = 20, so 12 cans cost $20