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Math 84 Activity # 20

Your Name: _______________________

“Proportion”

Remember: A proportion is a mathematical statement that two ratios or rates are

equal.
4 24
Example of a true proportion: = We know this because 4 x 18 = 3 x 24 or … 72 = 72
3 18

a c
Remember the cross products rule; If = , then ad = bc !
b d

Task 1: In problems 1 – 3, determine whether the proportion is true or false.

13 104 30 miles 18 miles $75 $3

1) = 2) = 3) =
7 56 35 days 42 days 1000 minutes 40 minutes

Solve for x.

70 15 6 15 0.9 x
4) = 5) = 6) =
x 21 14 x 1.6 0.5

a c
Using a proportion equation: = , solve the following word problems.
b d
7) If a 10,000 gallon swimming pool requires 4 ounces of a chemical, then how many ounces of
the chemical would be required for a 200 gallon pool?
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8) If eight trash bags last for thirty days, then twenty-eight trash bags will last for how many
days?

9) If four out of ten people vote, then in a town with two hundred thousand people, how many
will vote?

10) Write a word problem that might come up in your everyday life. Solve the problem and pass
right for your partner to solve (don’t let them see the answer!)

Task 2: Try the following exercises in writing a proportion.

Write a proportion from each set of numbers. Only use 4 numbers from each set of numbers.
1. 2, 10, 8, 7, 28 2. 20, 18, 30, 27

Ans: Ans:

3. 1, 8, 4, 2, 10 4. 7, 3, 21, 9, 32

Ans: Ans:

5. 52, 12, 6, 26 6. 24, 15, 16, 10

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Ans: Ans:

Another way to check if a proportion is true, is to use “cross-products” or “cross multiplication.” By multiplying the
20 4
diagonals of the proportion, these cross-products must be equal. Example: In = , the cross products
25 5
(products of the diagonals) are,

20 ⋅ 5 and 25 ⋅ 4 . Do you see where these products come from in the proportion?

And are these cross-products equal? Does 20 ⋅ 5 = 25 ⋅ 4 ?

TASK 3: Use Cross-Products/Cross-Multiplication, to verify if the following proportions are true.

a c
If = , then a ⋅ d = b ⋅ c
b d

6 2 15 75 1.3 0.975
1) = 2) = 3) =
9 3 2 10 4 3

True or False? True or False? True or False?

4 16 0.5 56.25 1
4) = 5) =
8 28 0.2 2.25 3
6) 2 =
6 36

True or False?
True or False? True or False?
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Task 4: Solving Proportions: We can also use the Cross-Products Rule (C.P.R.) to find a missing
number in a proportion. Solve the following proportions and then check the solution in the
original statement.

15 75 3 p + 15 5 c +1 1
7) = 8) = 9) =
2 x 2 3 5 5

4 16 0.5 x 3
10) = 11) = 3
x
b 28 0.2 2.25 12) = 4
1 7
4 1
10 8

13) Sam drove 320 miles in 2.5 hours, how long will it take to drive 500 at the same rate
(speed)?

14)
12
18

4 y
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16 x
The triangles are similar. Solve for x and y.