DIRECT AND INVERSE

PROPORTION
Direct proportion
Two quantities are in direct proportion

Cost of apples ($)

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

2 The recipe is for making cakes.
REEC
R CIP IPEE::
The mixture will make two cakes. utttteerr
2000 gg bbu
20
Helen wants to make seven cakes.
1600 gg su
16 suggarar
Calculate the amount of each ingredient needed.
44 eegg ggss
1500 gg se
15 isin
lf-rraais
self- flour
ingg flo ur
anill
tspp vvan
11 ts sseennce
illaa eess ce

BUTTER: (200 ÷ 2) × 7 = 700 g

SUGAR: (160 ÷ 2) × 7 = 560g

EGGS: (4 ÷ 2) × 7 = 14 eggs

SELF-RAISING FLOUR: (150 ÷ 2) × 7 = 525 g

VANILLA ESSENCE: (1 ÷ 2) × 7 = 3.5 tsp

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

160
US dollars ($)

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