Understand the idea.
Each pair has meaning
A ratio table records linked pairs of quantities. If three identical tickets cost dollars with no extra fee, each ticket costs dollars. Six tickets pair with dollars; do not combine a quantity from one column with an unrelated cost.
Label both quantities and their units. A complete pair describes one purchase or situation. In a proportional table, scaling the number of items by a factor scales the linked cost by the same factor.
Choose a useful calculation
Choose a convenient route: multiply a known pair, divide to find one unit, or add compatible pairs. The unit value must stay constant. Finding one item often helps when the required number is not a whole-number multiple of a known quantity.
Equal increases alone do not establish direct proportion. A fixed starting fee can give equal cost increases while changing the cost per item. Check the relationship between each complete pair and consider what the situation says about charges.
See the method in action.
Scale and use a unit price
Three identical notebooks cost 12 dollars. Find the costs of 6 and 10 notebooks.
| Notebooks | 3 | 6 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost (dollars) | 12 | ? | ? |
Worked solution
- 1
Scale three notebooks to six.
Doubling the number at a fixed price per notebook doubles the cost.
- 2
Find the cost of one notebook.
All three identical notebooks have the same unit price.
- 3
Use the unit price for ten notebooks.
Ten notebooks require ten copies of the four-dollar unit cost.
6 cost 24 dollars; 10 cost 40 dollars.
Find a row that does not fit
A table contains , and . Does it keep one ratio?
Worked solution
- 1
Compare the first two unit values.
Both pairs make the second entry four times the first.
- 2
Test the third listed pair.
A different unit value means the three pairs do not keep one ratio.
- 3
Find the entry that would fit.
Keeping the established factor of four would require the pair to be five and twenty.
No. Replace with to keep the ratio.
Try it yourself.
Check your understanding
Four identical pens cost 10 dollars. Find the cost of 12 pens.
Show answer & reasoning
30 dollars.
Twelve pens are times the known quantity. At the same unit price, their cost is also tripled: dollars.
Keep practising
6 worksheet questions · 15 marks
Read the questions online
- Two identical bottles hold 3 L altogether. How much do 6 hold?2 marks
- Five identical rulers cost 15 dollars. Find the costs of 1 ruler and 8 rulers.2 marks
- For red:blue , complete , , .2 marks
- A map uses 1 cm for 5 km. Find the distances for 3 cm, 7 cm and 10 cm.3 marks
- Hours and pay are , , and . Which entry breaks a fixed hourly-rate model?3 marks
- Two equal rows have 8 seats. Find seats in 3, 5 and 7 such rows.3 marks
Read the worked solutions
Equivalent correct methods earn the corresponding marks. Include units where asked.
- Two identical bottles hold 3 L altogether. How much do 6 hold?2 marks
Multiply both bottle count and total volume by 3.
9 L. - Five identical rulers cost 15 dollars. Find the costs of 1 ruler and 8 rulers.2 marks
One costs dollars.
Eight cost dollars.
3 dollars and 24 dollars. - For red:blue , complete , , .2 marks
Double the known pair for .
Multiply by 5 for .
8 and 15. - A map uses 1 cm for 5 km. Find the distances for 3 cm, 7 cm and 10 cm.3 marks
Multiply each map length by 5 km per centimetre.
15 km, 35 km and 50 km. - Hours and pay are , , and . Which entry breaks a fixed hourly-rate model?3 marks
The first three pairs give 18 dollars per hour.
Four hours should give dollars.
70 dollars for 4 hours; the matching pay is 72 dollars. - Two equal rows have 8 seats. Find seats in 3, 5 and 7 such rows.3 marks
One row has seats.
Multiply 4 by 3, 5 and 7.
12, 20 and 28 seats.
Curriculum reference & lesson scope
Australian Curriculum v9 / SA Curriculum Mathematics
Year 7 ratio comparisons and practical proportional models, including units, part-to-whole meaning and assumptions.
Official curriculum source ↗