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Ratio and Proportion - Introduction to ratio notation

Grade 5IGCSE

Review the key concepts, formulae, and examples before starting your quiz.

🔑Concepts

Definition: A ratio is a way to compare two or more quantities of the same kind to show how much of one thing there is compared to another.

Notation: Ratios are written using a colon (:) to separate the numbers, for example, 2:3 (read as 'two to three').

Order Matters: The order of numbers in a ratio must match the order of the objects being described (e.g., if there are 2 apples and 3 oranges, the ratio of apples to oranges is 2:3).

Simplifying Ratios: Like fractions, ratios can be simplified by dividing all numbers in the ratio by their Highest Common Factor (HCF).

Ratios vs. Fractions: A ratio compares part-to-part (2:3), while a fraction usually compares part-to-whole (2/5).

📐Formulae

Ratio of A to B = A:BA : B

Simplest Form = An:Bn\frac{A}{n} : \frac{B}{n} (where nn is the HCF of AA and BB)

Total Parts = A+BA + B

💡Examples

Problem 1:

In a pencil case, there are 5 blue pens and 7 red pens. What is the ratio of blue pens to red pens?

Solution:

5 : 7

Explanation:

Since we want the ratio of 'blue to red', we place the number of blue pens (5) first and the number of red pens (7) second.

Problem 2:

A recipe uses 10 cups of flour and 4 cups of sugar. Write the ratio of flour to sugar in its simplest form.

Solution:

5 : 2

Explanation:

The initial ratio is 10:4. Both 10 and 4 can be divided by their highest common factor, which is 2. 10÷2=510 \div 2 = 5 and 4÷2=24 \div 2 = 2.

Problem 3:

In a bag of marbles, the ratio of green marbles to yellow marbles is 3:5. What is the total number of 'parts' in this ratio?

Solution:

8 parts

Explanation:

To find the total number of parts in a ratio, you add the terms together: 3+5=83 + 5 = 8.