DIRECT AND INVERSE

PROPORTION
Direct proportion
 Cost of apples ($)
Two quantities are in direct proportion
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

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
US dollars ($)

160

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