RAT I O A ND

P ROP ORT I ON
OBJ E CTI VE S :

• review the basic concepts of ratio and

proportion
• manifest appreciation of the lesson by citing
examples on real-life situations
• manipulate expressions with mastery while
simplifying some given proportion
W H AT I S R AT I O ?
W H AT I S P RO P O RT I O N ?

Ratio
- A comparison of two numbers with the same units, or
different units of the same kind. It is obtained by dividing the
first number by the second number.
Written as:
Fraction form: a/b
Colon form: a:b
Division form: a÷ b
Phrase form: a to b
S I M P L I F Y I N G R AT I O

Divide 48 into two parts such that they are in the ratio
3 : 5.
Let: 3x = one part
5x = other part
3x + 5x = 48
8x = 48
x=6
3x = 3(6) = 18
5x = 5(6) = 30
S I M P L I F Y I N G RA T I O

Mark, Marie and Marvin divided P1000 among

themselves in the ratio 5:3:2, respectively. How much
did each of them receive?
5x = amount received by Mark
3x = amount received by Marie
2x = amount received by Marvin
5x + 3x + 2x = 1000
10x = 1000
x = 100
5x = 5(100) = 500
3x = 3(100) = 300
2x = 2(100) = 200
Hence, Mark received P500, Marie
received P300 and Marvin received P200.
S O LV E T H E F O L L O W I N G P R O B L E M S :

1. Divide 72 into two parts having the ratio of 5:7.

2. The angles of a triangle are in the ratio 10:2:3.
How many degrees is each angle?.
P RO P O RT I O N

A statement indicating the equality of two ratios.

If a : b and c : d are two equivalent ratios, then
a : b = c : d is a proportion.
a c
Can also be written as = .
b d
The two outer terms (a & d) are called extremes.
The two inner terms (b & c) are called means.
 L A W S O F P RO P O RT I O N S

1st Law: Fundamental Principle of Proportion

Means-Extremes Product Law of Proportion
In a proportion, the product of the means equals
the product of the extremes.
𝑎 𝑐
If = , then ad = bc,
𝑏 𝑑
where b ≠ 0 and d ≠ 0
 E XA MP L E :

𝟒 𝟐
Find the value of x in the proportion = .
𝒙 𝟔
Using the 1st law:
2x = 4(6)
2x = 24
x = 12
E XA MP L E

The product of the means n and 3 is equal to

the product of the extremes 4 and 5.
3n = 4 (5)
3n = 20
n = 20/3
E XA MP L E

Solve the proportion

(x + 1) : (2x – 1) = 2 : 3

(2x – 1) (2) = (x + 1) (3)

4x – 2 = 3x + 3
x=3+2
x=5
 In a photograph, Ezra is 9cm tall and
her brother Keith is 10 cm tall. Ezra’s
actual height is 153 cm. What is Keith’s
actual height?
 If the shadow of a tree is 14cm long and
the shadow of the person who is 1.8 m tall is
4 cm long, how tall is the tree?
 A “barbecued-spare ribs” recipe that
serves 4 people needs one kilo of pork spare
ribs. If you want to prepare this dish for 20
people in a family gathering, how much pork
spare ribs do you need?
 Indira’s photos come in two sizes: 13
cm x 9 cm and 15 cm x 10 cm. are these
dimension proportional?
 L A W O F P RO P O RT I O N S

2nd Law:
Switch Means-Switch Extremes Law of Proportion
Interchanging the means or interchanging the
extremes of a proportion results in an equivalent
proportion.That is,
𝑎 𝑐 𝑎 𝑏 𝑑 𝑐
if = , then (1) = and (2) =
𝑏 𝑑 𝑐 𝑑 𝑏 𝑎
where a, b, c and d are nonzero real numbers.
 E XA MP L E :

Give two proportions equivalent to 3x :1 = y:2.

Using the 2nd law:
3x :1 = y:2
𝟑𝐱 𝐲
=
𝟏 𝟐
𝟑𝐱 𝟏
= or 3x : y = 1: 2
𝐲 𝟐
𝟐 𝐲
and = or 2: 1 = y : 3x
𝟏 𝟑𝐱
 L A W O F P RO P O RT I O N S

3rd Law:
Invert Both Sides Law of Proportions
If the terms of the ratios of a proportion are
inverted, the result is an equivalent proportion.
𝑎 𝑐 𝑏 𝑑
if = , then =
𝑏 𝑑 𝑎 𝑐
where a, b, c and d are nonzero real numbers.
 L A W O F P RO P O RT I O N S

4th Law:
Denominator-Addition Law of Proportions
𝑎 𝑐 𝑎+𝑏 𝑐+𝑑
If = , then =
𝑏 𝑑 𝑏 𝑑
where b ≠ 0 and d ≠ 0
E XA MP L E :

Use the 4th Law to solve for x.

5:4=3:x
𝟓 𝟑
=
𝟒 𝒙
𝟓+𝟒 𝟑+𝒙
=
𝟒 𝒙
x(5+4) = 4(3+x)
5x + 4x = 12 +4x
5x +4x – 4x = 12
5x = 12
x = 12/5
 L A W O F P RO P O RT I O N S

5th Law:
Denominator-Subtraction Law of
Proportions
𝑎 𝑐 𝑎−𝑏 𝑐−𝑑
If = , then =
𝑏 𝑑 𝑏 𝑑
where b ≠ 0 and d ≠ 0
E XA MP L E :

Use the 5th Law to solve for x.

5:4=3:x
𝟓 𝟑
=
𝟒 𝒙
𝟓−𝟒 𝟑−𝒙
=
𝟒 𝒙
x(5 – 4) = 4(3 – x)
5x – 4x = 12 – 4x
5x – 4x + 4x = 12
5x = 12
x = 12/5
 L A W O F P RO P O RT I O N S

6th Law:
Numerator-Denominator Sum Law of Proportions
The ratio of the sum of the numerators to the
sum of the denominators is equivalent to each of the
equal ratios.
𝑎 𝑐 𝑒 𝑎+𝑐+𝑒… 𝑎 𝑐 𝑒
If = = …, then = = =
𝑏 𝑑 𝑓 𝑏+𝑑+𝑓… 𝑏 𝑑 𝑓
where a to f are nonzero real numbers
E XA MP L E :

If 2 : x = x : 18, find x.
𝟐 𝒙
=
𝒙 𝟏𝟖
𝟐+𝒙 𝟐
=
𝒙+𝟏𝟖 𝒙
𝒙 𝟐 + 𝒙 = 𝟐 𝒙 + 𝟏𝟖
𝟐𝒙 + 𝒙𝟐 = 𝟐𝒙 + 𝟑𝟔
𝒙𝟐 + 𝟐𝒙 − 𝟐𝒙 = 𝟑𝟔
𝒙𝟐 = 𝟑𝟔
𝒙 = ± 𝟑𝟔
𝒙= ±𝟔
 G E O M E T RI C M E A N S

Definition:
The geometric mean x of two numbers
a and b is the positive square root of their
product.That is,
𝑎 𝑥
if
𝑥
=
𝑏
,then 𝑥 = 𝑎𝑏.
E XA MP L E :

Find the geometric mean x of 3 and 27.

𝟑 𝒙
=
𝒙 𝟐𝟕
𝒙 = 𝟐𝟕(𝟑)
𝒙= 𝟖𝟏
𝒙= 𝟗
 A P P L I CAT I ON OF
P RO P O RT I O N I N G E O M E T RY

Example:
Consider the two segments 𝐴𝐶 and 𝐷𝐹 in the
figure below.
A B C

D E F
 Point B, which lies between A and C, divides
segment 𝐴𝐶 into two segments, 𝐴𝐵 and 𝐵𝐶.
Point E, which lies between D and F, divides
segment 𝐷𝐹 into two segments, 𝐷𝐸 and 𝐸𝐹.
𝐴𝐶 and 𝐷𝐹 are divided proportionally by point B
on 𝐴𝐶 and point E on 𝐷𝐹 if
𝐴𝐵: 𝐵𝐶 = 𝐷𝐸: 𝐸𝐹
A B C

D E F
𝐴𝐵: 𝐵𝐶 = 𝐷𝐸: 𝐸𝐹
If 𝐴𝐵 = 6 𝑐𝑚, 𝐵𝐶 = 12 𝑐𝑚 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐷𝐹 = 24 𝑐𝑚, 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝐷𝐸
𝐴𝐵 𝐷𝐸
=
𝐵𝐶 𝐸𝐹
6 𝐷𝐸
=
12 24 −𝐷𝐸
1 𝐷𝐸
=
2 24 −𝐷𝐸
2 𝐷𝐸 = 24 − 𝐷𝐸
3 𝐷𝐸 = 24
𝐷𝐸 = 8
M E A N P RO P O RT I O N A L A N D
T H I RD P RO P O RT I O N A L

In the proportion a : x = x : b, x is called

the mean proportional between a and b, and
𝑥 = 𝑎𝑏
Also, b is called the third proportional to a
and x.
W H A T I S T H E M E A N P RO P O RT I O N A L
B E T W E E N 3 A ND 12?

3 : x = x : 12
𝑥= 𝑎𝑏
𝑥= 3(12)
𝑥 = 36
x=6
 T H E F O U RT H P RO P O RT I O N A L
If the proportion is made up of four quantities, the
fourth quantity is called the fourth proportional to the
other three quantities taken in order.

a : b = c : d, d is the fourth proportional to a, b and c.

F I N D T H E F O U RT H P RO P O RT I O N A L T O
3, 2 AND 9?

3:2=9:x
2(9) = 3x
3x = 18
x=6
The fourth proportional to 3, 2 and
9 is 6.
 E XA MP L E
1 3
A recipe needs 2 cups of flour for every cups of
2 4
sugar. If 4 cups of flour are used, how much sugar is
needed?
Let x = amount of sugar needed
1 3
4:x=2 :
2 4
1 3
2 x = (4)
2 4
5
x=3
2
2 5 2
( ) x=3( )
5 2 5
6 6
x = The amount of sugar needed is cups.
5 5
 Proportion can also be formed if the
equal ratios have more than 2 terms,
e.g. 1 : 2 : 3 = 2 : 4 : 6. Each terms of
the ratio on the right side is a k multiple
of the corresponding terms of the ratio
on the left side of the proportion.