Ratios Involving

Rational Numbers
Secondary 1 E-Learning
27 March 2017
 What is a ratio?
A ratio is a comparison of two similar quantities

For example, in
Write this
Ratio of the height of Jane to the height of Brian your notes
Ratio of weight of green balls to weight of red balls

What are some other examples you can think of?

In general, given any two similar quantities, a and b,

the ratio of a to b (denoted by a: b) is defined as a: b = ,

where
Lets try some
examples!
Example 9.1.1

Johns height is 120 cm and Adrians height is 1.35 m. Find, in its

simplest form, the ratio of
(a) Johns height to Adrians height
Work out the solutions on your own in the
worksheet provided

Questions to ponder
1. Are the units similar in this case?
2. What must you do to make the
units similar?

Recall:
Ratio is a comparison of
two similar units
Example 9.1.1

Johns height is 120 cm and Adrians height is 1.35 m. Find, in its

simplest form, the ratio of
(a) Johns height to Adrians height

Worked Solution
1.35 m = 135 cm
Johns height : Adrians height = 120 : 135
=8:9

Have you gotten this right?

Now lets try (b)
Example 9.1.1

Johns height is 120 cm and Adrians height is 1.35 m. Find, in its

simplest form, the ratio of
(b) Adrians height to the total height of the two boys

Worked Solution
Total height of two boys = 135 + 120
= 255 cm
Adrians height : Total height of two boys = 135 : 255
= 9 : 17

Did you know
Typing into your calculator gives
you , which is also the ratio in
simplest form
Example 9.1.2

The masses of two bags of rice, A and B, are 2030 g and 3 kg

respectively. Find the ratio of the mass of B to the total mass of both
bags of rice in its simplest form.

Try it on your worksheet!

Recall:
Ratio is a comparison of
two similar units
Example 9.1.2

The masses of two bags of rice, A and B, are 2030 g and 3 kg

respectively. Find the ratio of the mass of B to the total mass of both
bags of rice in its simplest form.
Did you realise
There are no units for
Worked Solution ratio?
3 kg = 3000 g
Total mass of both bags of rice = 3000 + 2030
= 5030 g
Mass of B : Total mass of both bags of rice = 3000 : 5030
= 300 : 503

Again, typing into your calculator

gives you , which is also the ratio in
simplest form
 Sometimes, questions may ask you to derive the actual
value of the quantity in the ratio

What does it mean?

For example,

John and Marys heights are of ratio 3 : 2.

John is 180 cm tall. Find the height of Mary.

Worked Solution
3 units 180 cm
Here, ratios can also be
1 unit cm represented as units

2 units 2 Johns height is 3 units,

Marys height is 2 units.
= 120 cm
Marys height = 120 cm
 Ready to try
examples in your
worksheet?
Example 9.1.3

White paint and red paint are mixed in the ratio 5 : 3 to form pink paint.
Find the volume of white paint needed to make 4 litres of such pink paint.

Try it on your worksheet!

You should be getting the hang of it by now
Example 9.1.3

White paint and red paint are mixed in the ratio 5 : 3 to form pink paint.
Find the volume of white paint needed to make 4 litres of such pink paint.

Worked Solution
Total units = 5 + 3 = 8
8 units 4 litres
Easy? Now lets move
1 unit litres on to more
interesting concepts!
= litres

5 units

= litres
Required vol. of white paint = litres
 Simplify ratios (from rational numbers to whole
numbers)
The simplest form for ratio must be represented by
whole numbers, such as 2, 6, etc.
Hence, we need to simplify ratio from rational numbers to
whole numbers.

hence, fsdfsdfsdfs are called the equivalent ratios of fff

What does it mean?

xm xm m m
 Simplifying the ratio from fractions to whole numbers

For example,

Simplify
1. Find the lowest common multiple (LCM) of the denominators
involved.

The LCM of the denominator is 4

2. Multiply each quantity by the LCM to change the fractions to

whole numbers.

Note:
Write these - Change the mixed numbers to
in your notes!
improper fractions first
 Lets try!

Example 9.1.4
Simplify the following ratios:

(a) Try it on your own on the

worksheet provided

Whats the LCM here?

Worked Solution

LCM = 4
 Lets try!

Example 9.1.4
Simplify the following ratios:

(b) Try it on your own on the

worksheet provided

Whats the LCM here?

Worked Solution

LCM = 15
 Lets try!

Example 9.1.4
Simplify the following ratios:

(c) Try it on your own on the

worksheet provided

Whats the LCM here?

Worked Solution

LCM = 20
 Lets try!

Example 9.1.4
Simplify the following ratios:

(d) Try it on your own on the

worksheet provided

Whats the LCM here?

Worked Solution

LCM = 28
 Lets try!

Example 9.1.4
Simplify the following ratios:

(e) Try it on your own on the

worksheet provided
Whats the LCM here?

Worked Solution
Convert to
improper
LCM = 9 fraction first!
 Lets try!

Example 9.1.4
Simplify the following ratios:

(f) Try it on your own on the

worksheet provided
Whats the LCM here?

Worked Solution

Convert to
improper
LCM = 20
fraction first!
 Simplifying the ratio from decimals to whole numbers

For example,

Simplify 0.280 : 0.182

1. Multiply both quantities by 10, 100, 1000 etc. to convert both to an

integer.

0.280 1000 : 0.182 1000

= 280 : 182
= 20 : 13

Note:
Always simplify the
ratio in whole number
to its simplest form
 Lets try!

Example 9.1.5
Simplify the following ratios:
(a) 0.24 : 1.32
Try it on your own on the
worksheet provided
Worked Solution
0.24 : 1.32
= 0.24 x 100 : 1.32 x 100
= 24 : 132
= 2 : 11

Again, typing into your calculator
gives you , which is also the ratio in
simplest form
 Lets try!

Example 9.1.5
Simplify the following ratios:
(b) 0.0654 : 0.0098
Try it on your own on the
worksheet provided
Worked Solution
0.0654 : 0.0098
= 0.0654 x 10000 : 0.0098 x 10000
= 654 : 98
= 327 : 49

Easy? Lets try

more questions!
 Lets try!

Example 9.1.5
Simplify the following ratios:
(c) 0.05 : 0.35
Try it on your own on the
worksheet provided
Worked Solution
0.05 : 0.35
= 0.05 x 100 : 0.35 x 100
= 5 : 35
=1:7
 Lets try!

Example 9.1.5
Simplify the following ratios:
(d) 1.56 : 1.2
Try it on your own on the
worksheet provided
Worked Solution
1.56 : 1.2
= 1.56 x 100 : 1.2 x 100
= 156 : 120
= 13 : 10 Just like fractions,
whatever is multiplied on
the left in a ratio must
be multiplied by an equal
amount on the right
Try Example 9.1.6 on your own!
This is your homework!
 Summary
In order to evaluate a ratio, the two quantities must be in
the same unit.

Ratios have no unit.

Take note that a : b b : a. The order of the two quantities

is very important.

Always simplify ratios such that both quantities are whole

numbers.

Ratios can only be expressed as a fraction if it involves two

quantities only.
We have come to the end of our e-learning.
Hope you have understood this topic.
See you back in class

p.s.
Dont worry about
Example 9.1.6. We will
go through that in
class