CHAPTER 3

LESSON 2

RATIO AND PROPORTION

PROBLEMS
LEARNING OBJECTIVE

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• solve word problems involving ratio and
proportion
LET’S LEARN!

A ratio is used to show a relationship between

two numbers or a comparison of two items. The
numbers are separated by a colon (:) as in x:y.
For example, three nurses and four medical assistants
working a clinic shift can form a ratio. Ratios may be
presented in three formats that provide the set-up
for solving proportions.
a. 3:4 (three nurses to four medical assistants)
b. ¾ (three nurses to four medical assistants)
c. 3 is to 4 (three nurses to four medical assistants)
Ratios are fractions that represent a part-to-whole
relationship. Often when we work with ratios, we use
the fraction format to reduce the ratio to its simplest
form.
Since everything seems to be working, we will
generalize our observations using letters instead of
numbers. If ab=cd, then
1. b/a = d/c
2. a/c = b/d
3. ad = bc
To solve problems, most people use either equivalent
fractions or cross multiplying to solve proportions.
A proportion is a statement of equality of two ratios.
A proportion consists of four terms, and it is usually
necessary to find one of the terms of the given
proportion given the other three terms. This can be
done by cross-multiplying and then dividing both
sides of the equation by the numerical coefficient of
the variable
Note:
It is very important to write the same comparison on
both sides of the equal signs. In other words, if we
had a ratio on one side comparing inches to seconds,
then we must write inches to seconds on the other
side.
EXAMPLE NO. 1:
If an airplane can travel 360 miles in 3 hours, how far
can it travel in 5 hours?
EXAMPLE NO. 2:
If a turtle travels 5 inches every 10 seconds, how far
will it travel in 50 seconds?
EXAMPLE NO. 3:
A total of 450 is divided into equal shares. If Joshua
receives 4 shares, Barbie receives 3 shares and Jake
receives the remaining two shares, how much money
did Jake receive?
ACTIVITY
Directions: Solve the problems involving ratio and
proportion. Show your solution.
1. If an author writes 3 chapters in 10 days, how long
will it take the author to write a 15-chapter book?
2. The ratio of blue to red marbles is 16 to 9. If there
are 96 blue marbles in the box then how many of the
following is in the box?