7 Rate, Ratio and Proportion

7.2B Ratios of Three Quantities

Name: _________________________ Class: ___________

Objectives: 1. Understand the concepts of a continued ratio.

2. Learn how to simplify continued ratios using their properties.
3. Solve daily life problems by using ratios.

Key Points
1. The ratio of three or more quantities is called a continued ratio.
e.g. 5 : 3 : 4 is a continued ratio.
2. For k ≠ 0,
a b c
(i) a:b:c = ak :bk :ck (ii) a :b:c = : :
k k k

1. Simplify the following ratios.

(a) 2 : 6 : 4 (b) 30 : 24 : 54
Divide each quantity
2 6 4
= : : = by the H.C.F. of the
( ) ( ) ( ) quantities first.
=( ):( ):( )

1 1 5 5 3
(c) 1 : : (d) : : Multiply each quantity
3 15 3 2 2
by the L.C.M. of the
= = denominators of the
quantities first.

(e) 0.5:1.5: 2 (f) 1.8: 9: 3.6

= =

2. Simplify the following ratios.

(a) 80 cm : 1.6 m : 40 cm (b) 2 h : 80 min : 45 min Express the three
= = quantities in the same
unit first.

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 7 Rate, Ratio and Proportion

3. Find x : y : z in each of the following.

(a) x : y = 1 : 2 and y : z = 2 : 4 (b) y : x = 4 : 3 and z : x = 7 : 3
Solution
Identify the letter
(a) x: y = 1 : 2
that is common to
y:z = 2 : 4 the two ratios first.
For question 3(a),
the letter is y.
∴ x: y: z =( ):( ):( )

(b)

4. Find x : y : z in each of the following. ~ Example 7.9

(a) x : y = 2 : 3 and y : z = 9 : 1 (b) y : x = 2 : 5 and x : z = 10 : 3

(c) x : z = 3 : 4 and y : z = 4 : 6
Solution
(a) x: y = 2 : 3
y:z = 9 : 1

x: y = 2( ) : 3 ( )
y:z = 9 : 1

∴ x: y:z =( ):( ):( )

(b)

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 7 Rate, Ratio and Proportion

(c)

5. Nancy has 8 black pens, 20 blue pens and 4 red pens. Find the ratio of the number of black
pens to blue pens to red pens she has.
Solution
Number of black pens : number of blue pens : number of red pens
=( ):( ):( )

6. A mixed fruit juice is formed by mixing some apple juice, orange juice and lemon juice in the
ratio 6 : 2 : 7. The total volume of the mixed juice is 450 mL.
(a) Which kind of fruit juice has the least volume in the mixed juice?
(b) What is the volume of the fruit juice in (a)?
Solution
(a)

(b)

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 7 Rate, Ratio and Proportion

7. A sum of money is shared among Alex, Ben and Candice. The ratio of Alex’s share to
Candice’s share is 5 : 6. The ratio of Ben’s share to Candice’s share is 7 : 4. Find the ratio of
the amounts of Alex’s share to Ben’s share to Candice’s share. ~ Example 7.10(a)
Solution

8. There are red, blue and green marbles in a box. The ratio of the number of red marbles to that
of blue marbles to that of green marbles is 9 : 12 : 7. If there are 35 green marbles in the box,
find the total number of marbles in the box.
Solution

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