Direct and

Inverse Variation
SOL A8
by Robert Lotze, Moody Middle School
Direct Variation
 The longer you shower, the more water you use.

 You can describe this

Relationship using
Direct Variation
The Direct Variation
Formula
Y=kx
(where k ≠ zero)

Does this look familiar??????

The national average for time in a shower is 12.2
minutes. The average shower head uses 6 gallons of
water per minute. This means the average shower
uses 73.2 gallons of water. How much water is this
in a year for you? (how often do you shower?)
Here is a table to help you.
X (minutes 3 6 9 12
Y(gallons 18 36 72 90
A relationship exists between the number of minutes In a
shower, and the gallons of water used.

The equations for this table is: y = 6x

This is called a direct variation. This

means that as x increases, y increases,
Or, as x decreases, y decreases
Another example
Emma’s wages vary directly as the number of
hours she works. If her wages for 5 hours are
$29.75, how much will she be paid for 30 hours?

Frist, find Emma’s hourly pay. Let x = number of

hours worked, and let y = Emma’s pay. The value of
k is the amount of money Emma is paid per hour.
This is called the constant of the direct variation.
 divide both sides by

Emma is paid $5.95 per hour. Thus the constant of

this direct variation “k” is $5.95. Now plug this into
the equation .
You can also use proportions to solve problems of
direct variation.

For the last problem:

Your turn
1. Steve drove 330 miles using 15 gallons of fuel. At the same rate,
how many gallons of fuel will Steve need to plan on using if he has
to drives from Richmond to Salt Lake City, about 1650 miles?

So: thus

Steve will need plan on using 75 gallons for his trip.

Your turn
2. If varies directly as , and when , find when

Answer:
Inverse Variation
The length of a violin string
varies inversely as the frequency
of its vibration. In other words, the
shorter the string the higher the pitch. A violin string
10 inches long vibrates at a frequency of 512 cycles
per second. Find the frequency of an 8 inch string.

You can describe this relationship using Inverse

Variation
Inverse Variation
An inverse variation is described
by an equation of the form:

So with the violin string:

The constant of the inverse variation is 5120

So, since we can find the frequency of any length of
string.

Shortening the string to 8 inches we get:

So, the frequency of an 8 inch string is 640 cycles per

second.
Your turn
If you have ever seen or been on a seesaw, you will
know that the heavier person has to sit closer to the
fulcrum (pivot point) of the see saw to balance. This
is a type of lever. This is also an inverse variation.

The fulcrum is placed in the middle of a 20-foot

seesaw. Chloe, who weighs 120 lbs., is seated 9 feet
from the fulcrum. How far from the fulcrum should
Anthony sit if he weighs 135 lbs.?
Remember for inverse variation.
So: or

Anthony needs to sit 8 feet from the fulcrum.

Your Turn
Assume that varies inversely as .

If the value of is 90 when the value of is 6, find the

value of when the value of is 45.

So: or
In Summary
 Direct Variation:
 All equations of lines of Direct Variation pass
through the origin.
 Both variables Increase or Decrease

 Inverse
Variation:
 When one variable increases, the other decreases.