Lesson 19

PROPORTIONALITY

In this Lesson, we will answer the following:

1. What does it mean to say that two quantities are directly
proportional (or simply, proportional)?
2. How do we solve problems of proportionality?
3. What does it mean to say that two quantities are inversely
proportional?

1. What does it mean to say that two quantities are directly

proportional (or simply, proportional)?

By whatever ratio one quantity changes, the other changes in the

same ratio.

For example, let us say that the distance you travel is proportional to the time. This
means that if you travel twice as long, you will go twice as far. If you travel three times as
long, you will go three times as far. While if you travel half as long, you will go half as far.
By whatever ratio the time changes, the distance will change proportionally, that is,
in the same ratio.

2. How do we solve problems of proportionality?

Form ratios between the things of the same kind.

To begin with, we can only form ratios between things of the same kind: length to
length, time to time, dollars to dollars, and so on. A ratio between things of different kinds
("This amount of money is half of this amount of time") makes no sense.
When we relate things of different kinds, as in
"dollars per (for each) hour," that is not called a
ratio but a rate.
Example 1. In 4 hours, you can travel 110 miles. How far can you travel in 8 hours?
Answer. Since you travel twice as many hours -- 8 hours are twice as many as 4 hours --
then you will travel twice as many miles.
2 110 miles = 220 miles.
(Lesson 9, Question 2.)
Proportionally, upon forming ratios between things of the same kind:

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 4 hours are to 8 hours as 110 miles are to 220 miles.

Example 2. Maria can earn $70 in 6 hours. How much will she earn in 18 hours? How
much in 3 hours? How much in 27 hours?
Solution. Earnings are directly proportional to time. If Maria works three times as long --
18 hours -- then she will earn three times as much. She will earn 3 $70 = $210.
As for 3 hours, they are half of 6 hours: therefore, she will earn half of $70; she will
earn $35.
Finally, 27 hours. Every 6 hours she earns $70. How many 6 hours are there in 27?
27 hours = 24 hours + 3 hours.
In 24 hours there are four 6's. She will earn 4 $70 = $280.
In 3 hours, we have seen that she will earn $35.
Therefore, in 27 hours she will earn $280 + $35 = $315.
Equivalently, 27 hours are four and a half
times 6 hours. (Lesson 18.) Therefore she will
earn four and a half times $70.
When two quantities are directly proportional, we say that one of them varies
directly as the other. In this example, wages vary directly as time.

Example 3. Which is a better value: 12 ounces for $5.00, or 48 ounces for $22.00?
Answer. 48 ounces are four times 12 ounces. Therefore we should expect the price to
be four times more. But four times $5 is $20 -- which is less than $22. Therefore 12
ounces for $5 is a better value.

Example 4. Which is a better value: 15 ounces for $9.00, or 20 ounces for $11.00?
Answer. 20 ounces are 5 ounces more than 15 ounces. That is, 20 ounces are one third
more. Now, one third more than $9.00 is
$9.00 + $3.00 = $12.00
Therefore, 20 ounces for $11.00 is a better value. You save $1.00.
Inverse proportionality

3. What does it mean to say that two quantities are inversely

proportional?

By whatever ratio one quantity changes, the other changes in

the inverse ratio.

This means that if one of the quantities doubles, then the other will become half as
large. For the inverse of the ratio 2 to 1 ("doubles") is the ratio 1 to 2 ("half"). The terms
are exchanged.

Example 5. Let us suppose that the time it takes to do a job is inversely proportional to
the number of workers. The more workers, the shorter the time.

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 Specifically: If 6 workers can do a job in 4 days, then how long will it take 12
workers?
Answer. The number of workers has doubled , going from 6 to 12. Therefore it will take
only half as many days. It will take only 2 days.

Example 6. The speed that a car can achieve in 10 seconds is inversely proportional to
its weight. (That is, the more the car weighs, the slower it will be going.)
After 10 seconds, a car that weighs 2400 pounds can achieve a speed of 44 miles per
hour. If the car weighed 1600 pounds, how fast would it be going?
Answer. What ratio has the new weight to the original weight -- 1600 pounds to 2400
pounds? 1600 is two thirds of 2400:
1600 is to 2400 as 16 is to 24 as 2 is to 3.
(After ignoring the 0's, we see that both 16 and 24 have a common divisor 8. Lesson 17.)
Now, the inverse ratio of 2 to 3 is the ratio 3 to 2. And since 3 =
2 + 1,
3 is one and a half times 2.
(Lesson 18.)
The speed therefore will be one and a half times 44:
44 + 22 = 66 miles per hour.

When quantities are inversely proportional, we say that one of them varies
inversely as the other. Thus the speed that a car can achieve in a given time varies inversely
as its weight.

PROPORTIONALITY
PROBLEMS

11. Janet's car uses 9 gallons to go 200 miles.

1. a) How many gallons will she use to go 400 miles? 18
1. b) How many gallons will she use to go 600 miles? 27
1. c) How far can she drive with 36 gallons? 800 miles

12. Bertha went on a diet and lost 5 pounds in 2 weeks. How long will it
2. take her to lose 15 pounds? 6 weeks

13. Carlos makes $25 in 4 hours.

3. a) How much will he make in 2 hours? $12.50
3. b) How much will he make in 20 hours? $125
3. c) How much will he make in 22 hours? $137.50

14. Carla makes $50 in 8 hours.

4. a) How much will she make in 4 hours? $25

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4. b) How much will she make in 20 hours? $125
4. c) How much will she make in 36 hours? $225

15. 6 bottles cost $7.00.

5. a) How much will 18 bottles cost? $21
5. b) How much will 15 bottles cost? $17.50
5. c) How much will 27 bottles cost? $31.50
5. d) How many bottles can you buy with $10.50? 9

16. Which is a better value?

6. a) 15 ounces for $9.25, or 30 ounces for $18.00? 30 ounces for $18.
6. b) 15 ounces for $9.25, or 5 ounces for $3.29? 15 ounces for $9.25.

17. Which is a better value, 3 pounds for $7.00, or 10 pounds for $21.00?
10 pounds for $21.

18. The time it takes to do a job is inversely proportional to the number

18. of workers. Therefore, if 4 workers can do a job in 7 hours,
18. a) how long will it take 8 workers to do that job? 3 hours.
18. b) how long will it take 2 workers to do that job? 14 hours.

19. If 5 men can paint a house in 36 hours,

19. a) how many men would be needed to paint the house in 12
19. a) hours? 15
19. b) how long would it take 1 man to paint the house? 180 hours.

10. The speed that a car can achieve after 10 seconds is inversely
10. proportional to its weight. A car that weighs 1800 pounds got to 56
10. miles per hour. How fast could it have gone if it had weighed
10. a) 3600 pounds? 28 mph
10. b) 900 pounds? 112 mph
10. c) 1200 pounds? 84 mph

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 PROPORTIONALITY
ANSWERS
Return to the Lesson

11. Janet's car uses 9 gallons to go 200 miles.

1. a) How many gallons will she use to go 400 miles? 18
1. b) How many gallons will she use to go 600 miles? 27
1. c) How far can she drive with 36 gallons? 800 miles

12. Bertha went on a diet and lost 5 pounds in 2 weeks. How long will it
2. take her to lose 15 pounds? 6 weeks

13. Carlos makes $25 in 4 hours.

3. a) How much will he make in 2 hours? $12.50
3. b) How much will he make in 20 hours? $125
3. c) How much will he make in 22 hours? $137.50

14. Carla makes $50 in 8 hours.

4. a) How much will she make in 4 hours? $25
4. b) How much will she make in 20 hours? $125
4. c) How much will she make in 36 hours? $225

15. 6 bottles cost $7.00.

5. a) How much will 18 bottles cost? $21
5. b) How much will 15 bottles cost? $17.50
5. c) How much will 27 bottles cost? $31.50
5. d) How many bottles can you buy with $10.50? 9

16. Which is a better value?

6. a) 15 ounces for $9.25, or 30 ounces for $18.00? 30 ounces for $18.
6. b) 15 ounces for $9.25, or 5 ounces for $3.29? 15 ounces for $9.25.

17. Which is a better value, 3 pounds for $7.00, or 10 pounds for $21.00?
10 pounds for $21.

18. The time it takes to do a job is inversely proportional to the number

18. of workers. Therefore, if 4 workers can do a job in 7 hours,
18. a) how long will it take 8 workers to do that job? 3 hours.
18. b) how long will it take 2 workers to do that job? 14 hours.

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19. If 5 men can paint a house in 36 hours,
19. a) how many men would be needed to paint the house in 12
19. a) hours? 15
19. b) how long would it take 1 man to paint the house? 180 hours.

10. The speed that a car can achieve after 10 seconds is inversely
10. proportional to its weight. A car that weighs 1800 pounds got to 56
10. miles per hour. How fast could it have gone if it had weighed
10. a) 3600 pounds? 28 mph
10. b) 900 pounds? 112 mph
10. c) 1200 pounds? 84 mph