Sections 

6.7 6.8 6.9 (Complete Notes).notebook January 27, 2017

6.9 Variation and Problem solving

An apprentice plumber earns $35 per hour. In 2 hours, $70 is

earned. In 3 hours $105 is earned, and so on. This pattern
results in a set of ordered pairs of numbers, all having the same
ratio: (1, 35), (2, 70), (3, 105), ...

When the ratio is constant, we call this direct variation. Here

the earnings vary directly with time, t.

1
Sections 6.7 6.8 6.9 (Complete Notes).notebook January 27, 2017

example 1
Find the constant of variation and an equation of variation where
y varies directly with x, and where y = 32 when x = 2.

(2,32) is a solution of y = kx, where k is constant of variation

constant:

equation:

example 2
Find the constant of variation and equation of variation where y
varies directly with x, and y = 8 when x = 20.

2
Sections 6.7 6.8 6.9 (Complete Notes).notebook January 27, 2017

A bus is traveling a distance of 20 km. At a speed of 20 km/h it

will take 1 hour. At 40 km/h it will take a half hour. At 60 km/h it
will take a third of an hour, and so on. This pattern results in a set
of ordered pairs with the same PRODUCT:
(1, 20), (40, .5), (60, 1/3), ...

When the product of the pairs is constant, we call it inverse variation.

Here the time varies inversely with the speed.

3
Sections 6.7 6.8 6.9 (Complete Notes).notebook January 27, 2017

example 3
Find the constant of variation and an equation of variation where y
varies inversely with x, and y = 32 when x = 0.2.

(0.2, 32) is a solution of y = k/x where k is the constant.

constant:

equation:

4
Sections 6.7 6.8 6.9 (Complete Notes).notebook January 27, 2017

example 4

Find the constant of variation and an equation of variation where y

varies inversely with x, and y = 0.012 when x = 50.

5
Sections 6.7 6.8 6.9 (Complete Notes).notebook January 27, 2017

Example 5
The volume of water produced from melting snow varies directly
with the volume of snow. Meteorologists found the 150 cm3 of
snow in one watershed melted to 16.8 cm3 of water. Suppose
200 cm3 of snow melts there. Predict the resulting volume of
water.

6
Sections 6.7 6.8 6.9 (Complete Notes).notebook January 27, 2017

Example 6
The time (t) required to do a job varies inversely with the number
of people (P) who work on the job. It takes 4 hours for 12
people to erect some football bleachers. Predict how long it would
take for 3 people to do the same job.