Ratio and Proportion
Learning Outcome
When you complete this chapter you will be able to…
Describe the concepts of ratio and proportion.
Learning Objectives
Here is what you will be able to do when you complete each objective.
1. Find ratios of one quantity to another quantity.
2. Solve word problems involving ratios and proportions.
Objective One
When you complete this objective you will be able to…
Find ratios of one quantity to another quantity.
Learning Material
Ratio
A ratio is the number of times that one number is contained in another number. It is a
way to express the relative sizes of two or more quantities with the same units. For
example, if the stroke of a pump is 300 mm and the diameter of the pump cylinder is 150
mm, the ratio of stroke to diameter is 300 to 150, or 2 to 1, reducing it to its lowest terms.
The ratio could be left in its original figures but reducing it to its lowest terms conveys a
much better idea of the comparative size of the two dimensions.
In order to get a ratio between two quantities they must be in the same kind of units.
Tonnes and kilometres cannot be compared nor can grams and metres, as they are
entirely different kinds of measurements. Neither can we compare tonnes and kilograms,
or metres and millimetres, unless we bring both masses to either tonnes or kilograms in
the first case, and both measurements to either metres or millimetres in the second case.
Example 1:
What is the ratio between a mass of 3 tonnes and a mass of 200 kg?
Solution:
First the values must be converted to the same units. Either number can be converted to
the other’s units.
3 tonnes x 1000 kg/tonne = 3000 kg
Now the ratio between the two numbers with the same units can be found.
Example 2:
What is the ratio between a measurement of 3 m and a measurement of 80 mm?
Solution:
Convert 3 m to millimetres.
The rule then for finding the ratio between two quantities is:
Reduce both quantities to the same units and divide the first quantity by the second
quantity.
Objective Two
When you complete this objective you will be able to…
Solve word problems involving ratios and proportions.
Learning Material
Proportion
When two ratios have the same value (are equal), the four quantities composing the ratios
are said to be in proportion. Thus, the ratio 3 to 1 is of the same value as the ratio 9 to 3.
This could be stated as:
3 is to 1 as 9 is to 3
but it is customary to replace the words by dots which have the same meaning. The last
statement can be rewritten as:
3 : 1 :: 9 : 3
A proportion can also be stated in the fractional form:
or with an equal sign:
3:1 = 9:3
Application of Proportion
The principle of proportion is applied where two quantities are known to be in the same
ratio but only one of the quantities is given and we wish to find the other. The proportion
is set down in the form shown above, the missing quantity being denoted by x or some
suitable symbol.
The two outer terms (1st and 4th) are called the Extremes, and the two inner terms (2nd
and 3rd) are called the Means.
The product of the means is always equal to the product of the extremes. Therefore in the
above proportion,
3x3=1x9
From this we get the rules:
The product of the two means divided by either extreme gives the other extreme.
The product of the two extremes divided by either mean gives the other mean.
Example 3:
If 10 tonnes of coal cost $85.00, what will 3 1/2 tonnes cost if the cost per tonne is the
same?
Solution:
The ratio of the prices must be the same as the ratio between the masses.
Let x = the price of 3 1/2 tonnes.
The proportion can be written as follows:
Example 4:
Brass is a mixture of copper and zinc. How much copper must be mixed with 80 kg or
zinc if the ratio of zinc to copper is 3 to 7?
Solution:
Zinc : Copper :: 3 : 7
80 : Copper :: 3 : 7
Example 5:
A certain chemical mixture should be in the ratio of 3 parts A, 5 parts B, and 2 parts C. A
15 kg batch is to be mixed. What quantities of A, B, and C should be used in the batch?
Solution:
It can be seen that 3 parts A, 5 parts B, and 2 parts C add up to a total of 10 parts in this
mixture.
To find the amount of A needed in the batch:
To find the amount of B needed for the batch:
To find the amount of C needed for the batch:
A quick check to make sure the amounts calculated for A, B, and C add up to the
specified total of 15 kg.
4.5 kg A + 7.5 kg B + 3 kg C = 15 kg.
Inverse Proportion
The problems just worked out are examples of direct proportion. Thus, in Example 3, the
price increased directly as the mass increased. An increase in mass means an increase in
price and a decrease in mass means a decrease in price.
There are some instances, however, where the opposite holds true; that is, an increase in
one factor means a corresponding decrease in the other factor. Such cases are called
inverse proportions.
The most common examples of inverse proportion are problems involving size and speed
of gear wheels that are meshed together, or size and speed of pulleys that are connected
together by belts. The speeds of such pulleys and gear wheels are inversely proportional
to their diameters. The ratio between the speeds will be the same as the ratio between the
diameters or number of teeth, but the smaller pulley or gear will run at the faster speed
and the larger pulley or gear will run at the slower speed.
Example 6:
A gear wheel 300 mm in diameter and revolving at a speed of 100 r/min drives a wheel
120 mm in diameter. What is the speed of the second gear?
Solution:
Speed of 2nd : Speed of 1st :: Dia. of 1st : Dia. of 2nd
Speed : 100 :: 300 : 120
Example 7:
A supply fan is driven by an electric motor by means of V-belts. The pulley on the motor
shaft is 80 mm diameter and rotates at 1750 r/min. The diameter of the pulley on the fan
shaft is 280 mm. What is the speed of the fan?
Solution:
Fan speed : Motor speed :: Dia. motor pulley : Dia. fan pulley
Fan speed : 1750 :: 80 : 280
Example 8:
A driving gear has 55 teeth and turns at 600 r/min. The driven gear has 80 teeth; how fast
does it turn?
Solution:
Let the speed of the 80 tooth (driven) gear = x
Driven speed : Driver Speed :: Driver teeth : Driven teeth
x : 600 :: 55 : 80
