VARIATION

DIRECT VARIATION
Is a relationship between two variables, x and y, that
can be written as

y = kx

Where k is a constant, we say that y varies directly as x. We also

say that y is directly proportional to x. The number k is called the
constant of variation or the constant of proportionality.
DIRECT VARIATION

y = kx x y
“y varies directly as x” 1
“y is directly proportional to x” 2
“y is proportional to x”
3
k is the constant of variation that 4
relates the two variables
5
k=
•Tickets sold and profit of a concert.
•The number of hours to finish a job to
the number of persons working
Translate each statement into an equation.
Use k for the constant of variation.

•a varies directly as b
•g is directly proportional to m
•R is directly proportional to the square
of t
Example: The amount A of gasoline consumed is directly proportional to the distance d
travelled by a motorcycle. K is the constant of variation.
• Answer: A=kd

1. The price P of concert tickets varies directly to how close the seats S are to the stage.
2. The amount of slices S in a cake varies directly with the amount of people P who will
be eating it.
3. The fallen leaves L on the ground varies directly with the number of trees T planted in
the surrounding area.
4. The electricity bill B of every household is proportional to the number kilowatt hours H
used.
5. Q varies directly as the square of R.​
Determine if the table below expresses a direct
variation between two quantities or not.

X 3 6 9 X 30 15 9 X 3 1 2

y 9 18 27 y 10 5 3 y 26 75 150

X 5 10 15 20 X 2 4 7 8

y 16 32 48 64 y 26 52 91 104
Given that y varies directly as x, using the
table of values, determine the constant of
variation and the equation of variation.
x 3 4 5 x 6 7 8
y 6 8 10 y 24 28 32

x 3 5 6 8 x 2 4 5 7
y 16.5 27.5 33 44 y 24 48 60 84
Determine if the graphs below show a
direct variation or not.
1.Given that y varies directly as x. Find the
constant of variation if y = 24 and x = 3
2. Given that s varies directly as t. Find the constant
of variation if s = 55 and t = 11

3. If y varies directly as x, and y is 15 when x

= 3, find y if x = 5.
4. If y varies directly as x, and y is 8 when
x = 4, find y if x = 3.

5. If y varies directly as x, and y is 28 when x =

7, find y if x = 15.
INVERSE VARIATION
If a situation is modeled by an equation in the form

y=
Where k is a constant, we say that y varies inversely as x. We also say
that y is inversely proportional to x. The number k is called the
constant variation or the constant of proportionality.
y= k is the constant of variation that K = 12
relates the two variables.
x y
2
“y varies inversely as x” 3
“y is inversely proportional to x” 4
k = xy 6
•If there are more people sharing a given
amount then each person will get less.
•Less speed, more time is taken to cover the
same distance.
•If the number of people is added to a job, the
time taken to accomplish the job decreases
Translate each statement into an equation.
Use k for the constant of variation.
•a varies inversely as b
•g is inversely proportional to m
•R is inversely proportional to t
Determine if the table below expresses an
inverse variation or not.
x 1 3 6 x 3 6 9
y 12 4 2 y 8 5 2

x 3 6 12
y 8 4 2
Given that y varies inversely as x, using the table of
values, determine the constant of variation and the
equation of variation.

x 2 1 4 x 6 9 12 x 7 4 2
y 6 12 3 y 6 4 3 y 8 14 28

x 1 2 3 4 x 2 4 6 8
y 2 1 2/3 1/2 y 36 18 12 9
Graph of Inverse Variation

In inverse
variation, the
graph is a
hyperbola.
1. Given that y varies inversely as x, find the
constant of variation if x = 3 and y = 7
2. Given that y varies inversely as x, find the
constant of variation if x = 6 and y = 8
3. Find the equation and solve for k where y
varies inversely as x and y = 6 when x = 18

4. Suppose a varies inversely with b. when b = 4, a =

½. Find the constant and equation
1. If y varies inversely as x, and y = 10 when
x = 6, then what is y when x = 15?
2. If y varies inversely as x, and y = 8 when x = 8,
then what is y when x = 4?
3. If y varies inversely as x, and y = 10 when x =
2, then what is y when x = 10?

4. If y varies inversely as x, and y = 1/3

when x = 18, then what is y when x = 2?
 Translate each statement into an equation.
Use k for the constant of variation.

1) The base (b) of a triangle varies inversely as its altitude (a)

2) The acceleration (a) of a car is inversely proportional to its mass (m)
3) The number of pizza slices (p) varies inversely as the number of
person (n) sharing a whole pizza
4) The length (l)of a rectangular varies inversely as its width (w).
5) The mass (m) of an object varies inversely as the acceleration due to
gravity (g)
Write an inverse variation equation that
relates the two variables. Then solve.
1. Suppose y varies inversely as x, and y = 16 when x = 8. find y
when x = 16.
2. Suppose p varies inversely as m, and p = 21 when m = 3. find p
when m = 42.
3. Suppose a varies inversely as b, and a = 36 when b = 4. find a when
b = 12.
4. Suppose y varies inversely as x, and y = 7 when x = 21. find y
when x = 3.
5. Suppose l varies inversely as j, and l = 26 when j = 8. find l when j
= 5.
JOINT VARIATION

Variation may involve two variables. Table 4.5 illustrates some variation statements and their
equivalent algebraic equations that use k as constant of variation.
Variation Statements Algebraic Equations

1. Y varies jointly as x and z y = kxz

2. Y varies jointly as x, z and w y = kxzw

3. V varies directly as B and the square of V=

r
4. h varies directly as V and inversely as h=
w
5. Y is directly proportional to x and y=
inversely proportional to the square of z
6. Y varies jointly as w and z, and y=
inversely as x
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.
Joint Variation
y = kxz k=
•The statement “y varies jointly as x
and z” means y = kxz where k is the
constant of variation.
Translate each statement into an equation. Use
k for the constant of variation.
•a varies jointly with b and c
•V varies jointly as l, w and h
•p varies jointly with q and the square of r
•g varies jointly as m and the square root of
o
Translate each statement into an equation. Use
k for the constant of variation.
• The electrical voltage V varies jointly as the
current I and the resistance R.
• The volume of the cylinder varies jointly as the
square of its radius ‘r’ and its height ‘h’
• The area a of a parallelogram varies jointly as
the base b and altitude h.
1. Given that y varies jointly as x squared and z,
find the constant of variation when y = 60, x = 5,
and z = 6

2. Given that y varies jointly as x squared and z,

find the constant of variation when y = 225, x =
3, and z = 5
3. d varies jointly as e and f.
If d = 1.2, when e = 0.3 and f = 0.4. Find
the constant of variation.

4. Find the equation of variation where a

varies jointly as b and c, and a = 36 when b
= 3 and c = 4
5. Z varies jointly as x and y, if z = 96 when
x = 4 and y = 6, find the constant of
variation and the equation of the relation.

6. Find an equation of variation in which y

varies jointly as x and z, and y = 45 when x
= 18 and z = 10. Find y when x = 20 and z =
30.
7. If q is jointly proportional to r and s
and q = 6, when r = 3 and s = 4, find q
when r = 7 and s = 2.

8. If y is jointly proportional to x and z

and y = 86, when x = 5 and z = 2, find
y when x = 5 and z = 4.
9. x varies jointly as w, y, and z. If
x = 120 when w = 2, y = 6 and z =
5, find x when w = 5 , y = 12 and z =
3.
•Combined variation describes a
situation where a variable depends on
two (or more) other variables, and
varies directly with some of them and
varies inversely with others (when the
rest of the variables are held constant).
Combined Variation
• Combination of direct and inverse variation.
• The statement “y varies directly as x and inversely as z”, means y
= , where k is the constant of variation

y=

k=
 Translate each statement into an equation.
Use k for the constant of variation.

• l varies directly with m, and inversely with p

• b varies directly as c and inversely as the square of d
• y varies directly as the square root of x and inversely
as z
Translate each statement into an equation. Use k for the
constant of variation.
1. T varies directly as a and inversely as b
2. Y varies directly as x and inversely as the square of z
3. W varies jointly as c and the square of a and inversely as b
4. P varies directly as the square of x and inversely as s.
5. The electrical resistance R of a wire varies directly as its length l
and inversely as the square of its diameter.
6. The acceleration a of a moving object varies directly as the distance
d it travels and inversely as the square of the time t it travels.
1. Given that y varies directly as x and
inversely as z, find the constant of
variation when y = 14 when x = 8 and z
=4

2. P varies directly as q and the square of

r and inversely as s , and p = 14, q = 7, r
=2 and s = 4. find the constant of
variation.
3. If x varies directly as the square of
y and inversely as z and x = 12 when
y = 3 and z = 6. Find the constant of
variation.
Solve.
1. If z varies directly as x and inversely as y, and z = 9 when x = 6 and y = 2.
Find z when x = 8 and y = 12.
2. If z varies directly as y and inversely as x, and x = 10 when y = 3 and z = 3,
for what value of z will x = 3 and y = 4?
3. If p varies directly as q and inversely as the square of r, and p = 20 when
q = 50 and r = 5, find p when q = 18 and r = 36.
4. If r varies directly as s and inversely as the square of u, and r = 2 when
s = 16 and u = 2, find s when u = 2 and r =4
5. If y varies directly as x and inversely as the square of z, and when x = 32, y
= 6 and z = 4. Find y when x = 10 and z = 8.