Proportion: Ratio and Elm Grove
Proportions in mathematics can be viewed from a few perspectives. For instance, the proportionality of two variable values is determined by checking if one of the values is the product of the other value and some constant. In other words, two variable values (numbers or quantities) are proportional if their ratio is a constant, called the coefficient of proportionality or the proportionality constant. This is best explained using the linear equation: y = k*x
If k is a constant quantity, x will always be proportional to y for every possible value. Then k is considered to be the coefficient of proportionality.
Proportion is also the name we use when describing the equality of two ratios. If the ratios in question are equal, we say that they are proportional. For example, we have two ratios here:
5/6 = 15/18
These ratios are proportional because when we multiply both the numerator and the denominator of the ratio 5/6 by 3, we get 15/18 as a result. That is also true for the other way around – if we simplify the second ratio by dividing its numerator and denominator by 3, we get the first ratio as a result. Let us try another example:
2/3 = 8/9
As you can see, this equation is not valid – 8 is the product of 2 times 4 and 9 is the product of 3 times 3. That means that these ratios are not proportional. If we wanted to find the proportional ratio to 2/3 while keeping the denominator of the other ratio, we would have to multiply the numerator 2 with the number 3. So the correct proportion would be:
2/3 = 8/9 Similarity is a form of proportion used to compare sizes of shapes and objects and the same rules apply when solving both similarity and proportion. Knowing your way around similarities is especially useful when working with maps, blueprints and models. In those cases you are often given a ratio. The ratio of 1 : 3 in a model means that 1 cm on the model represents 3 cm on the actual object. The important thing to remember is that for two shapes or
If k is a constant quantity, x will always be proportional to y for every possible value. Then k is considered to be the coefficient of proportionality.
Proportion is also the name we use when describing the equality of two ratios. If the ratios in question are equal, we say that they are proportional. For example, we have two ratios here:
5/6 = 15/18
These ratios are proportional because when we multiply both the numerator and the denominator of the ratio 5/6 by 3, we get 15/18 as a result. That is also true for the other way around – if we simplify the second ratio by dividing its numerator and denominator by 3, we get the first ratio as a result. Let us try another example:
2/3 = 8/9
As you can see, this equation is not valid – 8 is the product of 2 times 4 and 9 is the product of 3 times 3. That means that these ratios are not proportional. If we wanted to find the proportional ratio to 2/3 while keeping the denominator of the other ratio, we would have to multiply the numerator 2 with the number 3. So the correct proportion would be:
2/3 = 8/9 Similarity is a form of proportion used to compare sizes of shapes and objects and the same rules apply when solving both similarity and proportion. Knowing your way around similarities is especially useful when working with maps, blueprints and models. In those cases you are often given a ratio. The ratio of 1 : 3 in a model means that 1 cm on the model represents 3 cm on the actual object. The important thing to remember is that for two shapes or