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YEAR 7 · RATIOS AND PROPORTION · 15 MIN

Ratio tables

Use tables to organise equivalent pairs and identify a constant unit value.

In this lesson

Before you start
  • Equivalent ratios
  • Multiplication and division
01 / LEARN

Understand the idea.

Each pair has meaning

A ratio table records linked pairs of quantities. If three identical tickets cost 12 dollars with no extra fee, each ticket costs 4 dollars. Six tickets pair with 24 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.

02 / WORKED EXAMPLES

See the method in action.

EXAMPLE 01

Scale and use a unit price

Three identical notebooks cost 12 dollars. Find the costs of 6 and 10 notebooks.

Identical notebooks
Notebooks3610
Cost (dollars)12??

Worked solution

  1. 1

    Scale three notebooks to six.

    6=2×3,2×12=24 dollars

    Doubling the number at a fixed price per notebook doubles the cost.

  2. 2

    Find the cost of one notebook.

    12÷3=4 dollars per notebook

    All three identical notebooks have the same unit price.

  3. 3

    Use the unit price for ten notebooks.

    10×4=40 dollars

    Ten notebooks require ten copies of the four-dollar unit cost.

Answer

6 cost 24 dollars; 10 cost 40 dollars.

EXAMPLE 02

Find a row that does not fit

A table contains (2,8), (4,16) and (5,22). Does it keep one ratio?

Worked solution

  1. 1

    Compare the first two unit values.

    8÷2=4,16÷4=4

    Both pairs make the second entry four times the first.

  2. 2

    Test the third listed pair.

    22÷5=4.4≠4

    A different unit value means the three pairs do not keep one ratio.

  3. 3

    Find the entry that would fit.

    5×4=20

    Keeping the established factor of four would require the pair to be five and twenty.

Answer

No. Replace (5,22) with (5,20) to keep the ratio.

03 / YOUR TURN

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 12÷4=3 times the known quantity. At the same unit price, their cost is also tripled: 3×10=30 dollars.

Keep practising

6 worksheet questions · 15 marks

Read the questions online
  1. Two identical bottles hold 3 L altogether. How much do 6 hold?
    2 marks
  2. Five identical rulers cost 15 dollars. Find the costs of 1 ruler and 8 rulers.
    2 marks
  3. For red:blue 3:4, complete (3,4), (6,□), (□,20).
    2 marks
  4. A map uses 1 cm for 5 km. Find the distances for 3 cm, 7 cm and 10 cm.
    3 marks
  5. Hours and pay are (1,18), (2,36), (3,54) and (4,70). Which entry breaks a fixed hourly-rate model?
    3 marks
  6. 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.

  1. 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.
  2. Five identical rulers cost 15 dollars. Find the costs of 1 ruler and 8 rulers.
    2 marks

    One costs 155=3 dollars.

    Eight cost 8⁢(3)=24 dollars.

    3 dollars and 24 dollars.
  3. For red:blue 3:4, complete (3,4), (6,□), (□,20).
    2 marks

    Double the known pair for (6,8).

    Multiply by 5 for (15,20).

    8 and 15.
  4. 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.
  5. Hours and pay are (1,18), (2,36), (3,54) and (4,70). Which entry breaks a fixed hourly-rate model?
    3 marks

    The first three pairs give 18 dollars per hour.

    Four hours should give 4⁢(18)=72 dollars.

    70 dollars for 4 hours; the matching pay is 72 dollars.
  6. Two equal rows have 8 seats. Find seats in 3, 5 and 7 such rows.
    3 marks

    One row has 82=4 seats.

    Multiply 4 by 3, 5 and 7.

    12, 20 and 28 seats.
Checking saved progress…
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 ↗

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