Edexcel IGCSE Maths A

(Modular): Numbers : Unit 2

1.Prime Factors, HCF & LCM 2
2.Standard Form
18
3. Using
Percentages 26
4. Co
mpound Interest & Depreciation 35
5.Ratio Toolkit
42
6. Ratio
Problem Solving 58
7. Direct &
Inverse Proportion 66

Prime Factors, HCF & LCM

Contents
Prime Factor Decomposition
Uses of Prime Factor Decomposition
HCF & LCM

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Prime Factor Decomposition
What are prime factors?
A factor of a given number is a value that divides the given number exactly, with no remainder

e.g. 6 is a factor of 18

A prime number is a number which has exactly two factors; itself and 1

e.g. 5 is a prime number, as its only factors are 5 and 1

You should remember the f i rst few prime numbers:

2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19, …

The prime factors of a number are therefore all the primes which multiply to give that number

e.g. The prime factors of 30 are 2, 3, and 5

2 × 3 × 5 = 30

How do I find prime factors?

Use a factor tree to find prime factors

Split the number up into a pair of factors

Then split each of those factors up into another pair

Continue splitting up factors along each "branch" until you get to a prime number

These cannot be split into anything other than 1 and themselves

It helps to circle the prime numbers at the end of the branches

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 A number can be uniquely written as a product of prime factors
Write the prime factors as a multiplication, in ascending order

360 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 3 × 5

This can then be written more concisely using powers

360 = 23 × 32 × 5

A question asking you to do this will usually be phrased as "Express … as the product of its prime
factors"

WORKED EXAMPLE

Write 432 as the product of its prime factors.

Create a factor tree

Start with 432 and choose any two numbers that multiply together to
make 432

Repeat this for the two factors, until all of the values are prime numbers and cannot be broken
down any further

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 The answer will be the same regardless of the factors chosen in the f i rst step Write the prime numbers out as a
product

432 = 2 × 2 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 3 × 3
Any repeated prime factors can be written as a power
432=24 x33

Uses of Prime Factor Decomposition

When a number has been written as its prime factor decomposition (PFD), it can be used to f i nd
out if that number is a square or cube number, or to f i nd the square root of that number without a
calculator.

How can I use PFD to identify a square or cube number?

If all the indices in the prime factor decomposition of a number are even, then that number is
a square number

E.g. The prime factor decomposition of 7056 is 24 × 32 × 72

All powers are even so it must be a square number

It can be written as (22 × 3 × 7)2

If all the indices in the prime factor decomposition of a number are multiples of 3, then that
number is a cube number

E.g. The prime factor decomposition of 1728000 is 29 × 33 × 53

All powers are multiples of 3 so it must be a cube number

It can be written as (23 × 3 × 5)3

How can I use PFD to find the square root of a square number?
Write the number in its prime factor decomposition

All the indices should be even if it is a square number

For example, to find the square root of 144 = 24 × 32

Halve all of the indices

22 ×
3

So 24 × 32 = 22 × 3
This is the prime factor decomposition of the square root of the number How
To f i nd it as an integer, multiply the prime factors together can I
use
22 × 3 = 12, so the square root of 144 is 12

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PFD to find the exact square root of a number?
If the number is not a square number, its exact square root can still be found using its prime
factor decomposition

Write the number in its prime factor decomposition

1440= 25 × 32 × 5
Rewrite the prime factor decomposition with as many even indices as you can

E.g. 23 = 22 × 2, or 57 = 56 × 5

1440= 24 × 2 × 32 × 5
Collect the terms with even powers together

1440= 24 × 32 × 2 × 5
Square root both sides

1440 = 24 × 32 × 2 × 5
Using the rule =
ab ab , apply the square root to the terms with the even indices separately
to the terms with odd indices

1440 = 24 × 32 × 2 × 5
Simplify to f i nd your answer,
remembering that a2b2 = ab

1440 = 22 × 3 ×10
1440 = 1210

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 1210 is the exact square root of 1440

WORKED EXAMPLE

N = 23 × 32 × 57 and AN = B where A is an integer and B is a non-zero square

number. Find the smallest value of A.
Substitute N= 23 × 32 × 57 into the formula AN = B

3
A(2 × 32 × 57 ) = B

To be a square number, the prime factors of AN must all have even powers

Consider the prime factors A needs to have to make all the values on the left-hand side have even powers

(2 × 5) (23 × 32 × 57) = B 24 × 32 × 58 = B

So A, when written as a product of its prime factors, is 2 × 5 Make sure you

write A as an integer value in the answer

A = 10

HCF & LCM

Highest Common Factor (HCF)
What is the highest common factor (HCF) of two numbers?
A common factor of two numbers is a value that both numbers can be divided by, leaving no remainder

1 is always a common factor of any two numbers

Any factor of a common factor will also be a common factor of the original two numbers

6 is a common factor of 24 and 30

Therefore 1, 2 and 3 are also common factors of 24 and 30

The highest common factor is the largest common factor of the two numbers

The highest common factor is useful when simplifying fractions or factorising expressions

How do I f i nd the highest common factor (HCF) of two

numbers?
To f i nd common factors:

write out the factors of each number in a list

identify the numbers that appear in both lists

The highest common factor will be the largest factor that appears in both lists

How can I use a Venn diagram to find the highest common

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factor (HCF) of two numbers?
Write each number as a product of its prime factors

42 = 2×3×7 and 90 = 2×3×3×5

Find the prime factors that are common to both numbers and put these in the center of the
Venn diagram

42 and 90 both have a prime factor of 2

Put 2 in the center of the diagram

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 Although 3 appears twice in the prime factors of 90, it appears once in the prime factors of 42

Put a single 3 in the center of the

diagram
If there are no common prime factors, put a 1 in the center of the
diagram Put the remaining prime factors in the respective regions

7 would go in the region for 42

3 and 5 would go in the region for 90

The highest common factor is the product of the numbers in the center

The HCF of 42 and 90 is 2×3, which is 6

If there are no common prime factors, then the HCF is 1

How can I use the powers of prime factors to f i nd the

highest common factor (HCF) of two numbers?
Write each number as a product of the powers of its prime factors

24 = 23×3 and 60 = 22×3×5

Find all common prime factors and identify the highest power that appears in both numbers

The highest power of 2 in both is 22

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 22 is a common factor
The highest power of 3 in both is
31 3 is a common factor
No other prime number appears in both
The highest common factor is the product of the common powers of primes

The HCF of 24 and 60 is 22×3 which is 12

EXAM TIP

The highest common factor of two numbers could be one of the numbers!

The highest common factor of 4 and 12 is 4

WORKED EXAMPLE

Find the highest common factor of 36 and

120. Write both numbers as a product of
prime factors

36 = 2×2×3×3 = 22 × 32
120 = 2×2×2×3×5 = 23 × 3 × 5

Write the prime factors in a Venn diagram

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 Multiply the common prime factors in the center

HCF = 2 × 2 × 3

Alternatively, list the factors for each number

36: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, 36

120: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 15, 20, 24, 30, 40, 60,
120

Another alternative is to f i n d the highest common powers of primes

22 and 31 are the highest common powers of

primes HCF = 22 × 31

HCF = 12

Lowest Common Multiple (LCM)

What is the lowest common multiple (LCM) of two numbers?
A common multiple of two numbers is a number that appears in both of their times tables

The product of the original two numbers is always a common multiple (but not
necessarily the lowest)

Any multiple of a common multiple will also be a common multiple of the original two numbers

30 is a common multiple of 3 and 10

Therefore 60, 90, 120, ... are also common multiples of 3 and 10

The lowest common multiple is the smallest common multiple between two numbers

This is useful when f i nding a common denominator and when adding or subtracting fractions

How do I f i nd the lowest common multiple (LCM) of two

numbers?
To f i nd the lowest common multiple of two numbers:

write out the f i rst few multiples of each number

identify the multiples that appear in both lists

If there are none then write out the next few multiples of each number until you f i nd
a common multiple

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 The lowest common multiple will be the smallest multiple that appears in both lists
How can I use a Venn diagram to find the lowest
common multiple (LCM) of two numbers?
Write each number as a product of its prime factors

42 = 2×3×7 and 90 = 2×3×3×5

Find the prime factors that are common to both numbers and put these in the center of the
Venn diagram

42 and 90 both have a prime factor of 2

Put a 2 in the center of the diagram

Although 3 appears twice in the prime factors of 90, it appears once in the prime factors of 42

Put a single 3 in the center of the diagram

If there are no common prime factors then put a 1 in the center of the diagram

Put the remaining prime factors in the respective regions

7 would go in the region for 42

3 and 5 would go in the region for 90

The lowest common multiple is the product of all the numbers in the Venn diagram

The LCM of 42 and 90 is 7×2×3×3×5, which is 630

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How can I use the powers of prime factors to f i nd the lowest
common multiple (LCM) of two numbers?
Write each number as a product of the powers of its prime factors

72= 23 × 32 and 540 = 22 × 33 × 5

Find the highest power of each and every prime that appears in either number (they do not
have to be common primes)

23 is the highest power of 2 shown (from 72)

33 is the highest power of 3 shown (from 540)

51 is the highest power of 5 shown (from 540)

Note: 5 is not a common prime in 72 and 540, but it is still needed for the LCM

The lowest common multiple is the product of these highest powers

The LCM of 72 and 540 is 23×33×5, which is 1080

EXAM TIP

The lowest common multiple of two numbers could be one of the numbers!

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 The lowest common multiple of 4 and 12 is 12

WORKED EXAMPLE

Find the lowest common multiple of 36 and 120. Write both numbers as a
product of prime factors

36 = 2×2×3×3 = 22 × 32
120 = 2×2×2×3×5 = 23 × 3 × 5
Write the prime factors in a Venn diagram

Multiply all the prime factors in the diagram

LCM = 3 × 2 × 2 × 3 × 2 × 5

An alternative method is to write out the multiples

36: 26, 72, 108, 144, 180, 216, 252, 288, 324, 360, 396, ...
120: 120, 240, 360, 480, ...

Another alternative method is to f i nd the highest powers of each and every prime that appear Then multiply
these together

23 × 32 × 51

LCM = 360
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What is standard form and why is it used? d form?

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 Numbers written in standard form are always written as:

a × 10n
Where:

1 ≤ a < 10 (a is between 1 and 10)

n > 0 (n is positive) for large numbers
n < 0 (n is negative) for small numbers
How do I write a large number in standard
form?
To write a large

number

such as 3

240 000 in

standard

form

Identify the

value of a
3.24

Find how many times you must multiply 3.24 by 10, to make 3
240 000

Count how many places you need to move the decimal

point

We need to multiply by 10 six times

3 240 000 = 3.24 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 = 3.24 × 106

How do I write a small number in standard

form?
To write a small number such as 0.000567 in standard

form Identify the value of a

5.67

Find how many times you must divide 5.67 by 10, to make 0.000567

Count how many places you need to move the decimal point

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 We need to divide by 10 four times

We are dividing rather than multiplying so the power will be negative

0.000567 = 5.67 ÷ 10 ÷ 10 ÷ 10 ÷ 10 = 5.67 × 10-4

EXAM TIP

On some calculators, typing in a very large or very small number = will convert it
and pressing to standard form

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 WORKED EXAMPLE

(a)Without a calculator, write 0.007052 in standard form.

Standard form will be written as a × 10n where a is

between 1 and 10 Find the value for a

a = 7.052

The original number is smaller than 1 so n will be

negative Count how many times you need to divide a by 10 to
get the original number

0.007052 = 7.052 ÷ 10 ÷ 10 ÷ 10 (3 times)

Therefore n = -3.

0.007052 = 7.052 × 10-3

(b)Without a calculator, write 324 500 000 in standard form.

Standard form will be written as a × 10n where a is

between 1 and 10 Find the value for a

a = 3.245

The original number is larger than 1 so n will be positive Count how many
times you need to multiply a by 10 to get the original number

324 500 000 = 3.245 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 × 10 (8 times)

Therefore n =8

324 500 000 = 3.245 × 108

Operations with Standard Form

How do I perform calculations in standard form using
a calculator?
Make use of brackets around each number, and button to enter numbers in standard
×
use the form

e.g. (3 × 108) × (2 × 10−3)

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 You can instead use the standard multiplication and index buttons

If your calculator answer is not in standard form, but the question requires it:

Either rewrite it using the standard process

e.g. 3 820 000 = 3.82 × 106

Or rewrite numbers in standard form, then apply the laws of indices

e.g. 243 × 1020 = (2.43 × 102) × 1020 = 2.43 × 1022

How do I perform calculations with numbers in standard

form using index laws?
Multiplication and division
Consider the "number parts" separately to the powers of 10

E.g. (3 × 102) × (4 × 105)

Can be written as (3 × 4) × (102 × 105)
Then calculate each part separately

Use laws of indices when combining the powers of 10

12× 107
This can then be rewritten in standard form

1 . 2 × 10× 107 = 1 . 2 ×
108
This process is the same for a
division
(8 ×
E.g. ÷ (2 × 10−3)
10−5) 8 × 10−5 8 10−5
Can be written as = ×
2 × 10−3 2 10−3
Then calculate each part separately

Use laws of indices when combining the powers of 10

Be careful with negative powers -5 -(-3) is -5 + 3

4 × 10−2
Addition and subtraction

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One strategy is to write both numbers in full, rather than standard form, and then add or subtract them

E.g. (3.2 × 103) + (2.1 × 102)

Can be written as 3200 + 210 = 3410
Then this can be rewritten in standard form if needed, 3. 41× 103
However this method is not efficient for very large or very small powers

For very large or very small powers:

Write the values with the same, highest, power of 10

And then calculate the addition or subtraction, keeping the power of 10 the same

Consider (4 × 1050) + (2 × 1048)

Rewrite both with the highest power of 10, i.e. 50

Changing 1048 to 1050 has made it 102 times larger, so make the 2 smaller by a
factor of 102 to compensate

(4 × 1050) + (0. 02× 1050)

These can now be added

4. 02× 1050

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 Consider (8 × 10−20) − (5 × 10−21)
Rewrite both with the higher power of 10,
i.e. -20

Changing 10-21 to 10-20 has made it 101 times larger, so make the ve 101 times
smaller to compensate

(8 × 10−20) − (0.5 × 10−20)

These can now be subtracted

7 . 5 × 10−20
WORKED EXAMPLE

Show how (45× ÷ (0.9 × 105) can be written in the form A × 10n , where
10−3)
1 ≤ A < 10 and n is an integer.
Rewrite the division as a fraction, then separate out the powers of 10

45× 10−3 45 10−3

= ×
0 . 9 × 105 0.9 105
45
Work out
0.9
45 450
0.9 = 50
= 9

Work
10−3
out using laws of
105
indices

10−3
= 10−3 −5 = 10−8
105
Combine back
together

(45× ÷ (0.9 × 105) = 50× 10−8

10−3)
Rewrite in standard form, where a is between 1 and 10

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 50× 10−8 = 5 × 10× 10−8 = 5 × 10−7

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 5×
10−7
WORKED EXAMPLE

Given that a × b = c,
where

a = 5 ×
1020 b = 6
× 10n c =
3 × 1033
Find the value of n.
Substitute the values into the given equation, a×b=c
5 × 1020 × 6 × 10n = 3 × 1033
Rearrange so the powers of 10 are grouped together

5 × 6 × 1020 × 10n = 3 × 1033

Calculate the 'number' part and use laws of indices to combine the powers of 10

30× 1020 +n = 3 × 1033

The two sides of the equation are almost in the same format, but we need to

change the 30 to a 3 Dividing the number by 10, means the power of 10 must be

increased by 1 to compensate

3 × 1021 +n = 3 × 1033
The two sides of the equation now match, so the powers of 10 on each side must be equal

21+ n = 33
Subtract 21 from both sides to find n
n = 12

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 Using Percentages
Percentage Increases & Decreases
Reverse Percentages

Percentage Increases & Decreases

How do I increase by a percentage?
A percentage increase makes an amount bigger by adding that percentage on to itself

With a calculator you can use multipliers

A multiplier is the decimal equivalent of a percentage

A percentage can be converted to a decimal by dividing by 100

When increasing by a percentage, we are f i nding a percentage greater than 100%

To increase 80 by 15%

We are f i nding 115% of 80, so the multiplier is 1.15

1.15 × 80 = 92

You can also use the basic percentages methods to f i nd the percentage you are increasing by

Then add this on to the original amount

To increase 30 by 10%

10% of 30 is 3

30 + 3 = 33

This is equivalent to nding 110% of 30

How do I decrease by a percentage?

A percentage decrease makes an amount smaller by subtracting that percentage from itself

With a calculator you can use multipliers

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With a calculator you can use multipliers

When decreasing by a percentage, we are f i nding a percentage smaller

than 100%

To decrease 80 by 15%

We are f i nding 85% of 80, so the multiplier is 0.85

Because 100% - 15% = 85%

0.85 × 80 = 68
You can also use the methods outlined in Basic Percentages to f i nd the
percentage you are decreasing by
Then subtract this from the original amount

To decrease 30 by 10%

10% of 30 is 3

30 - 3 = 27

This is equivalent to f i nding 90% of 30

Because 100% - 10% = 90%

WORKED EXAMPLE

(a) Increase 200 kg by 21%.

An increase by 21% is equivalent to f i nding 121% of the

original amount So the multiplier is 1.21

1.21 × 200

242 kg

(b)An item that costs $ 500 is discounted by 35%.

Find the new price of the item.

A discount of 35% means the price decreases by 35%

A decrease of 35% is equivalent to f i nding 65% of the original amount

(100 - 35 = 65) So the multiplier is 0.65

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 500 × 0.65

$ 325

How do I deal with repeated percentage changes?

In some problems there may be several changes by a percentage

For example,

A shop increases the price of a product costing £80 by 10%,

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 equivalent to a multiplier of ×
1.10
and then discounts the product

by 15%, equivalent to a

multiplier of × 0.85
and then discounts the product by a further 20%

equivalent to a multiplier of
× 0.80 You can either:

Multiply the starting amount by each multiplier in turn

( ( ( 80 × 1.10 ) × 0.85 ) × 0.80 ) = £59.84

Or combine the multipliers f i rst and then multiply by the "combined multiplier"

1.10 × 0.85 × 0.80 = 0.748

This shows it is equivalent to 74.8% of the original amount, or a discount of 25.2%

80 × 0.748 = £59.84

In general, for n multipliers of values m1, m2, . . . , mn

The combined multiplier is m1 × m2 × . . . × mn

How do I f i nd a percentage change?
The multiplier that was used for a percentage change can be found using the formula:

Amount after
m=
Amount before
The value of m corresponds to the multiplier for the percentage change
A value greater than 1 is a percentage increase

1.05 corresponds to an increase by 5%

A value less than 1 is a percentage decrease

0.75 corresponds to a decrease by 25%

Alternatively you can use the formula:

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 After − Before
Percentage ×
Change = Before
100

A positive value is a percentage increase

An answer of 12 means an increase of 12%

A negative value is a percentage decrease

An answer of -28 means a decrease of 28%

How do I find a percentage pro t or loss?
Similar strategies to the above can be used to f i nd the percentage profit or loss

Shops buy or produce items at a "cost price" and sell them at a "selling price"

Using a multiplier method:

Selling Price
m=
Cost Price
A value greater than 1 is a pro t

1.05 corresponds to a 5% pro t

A value less than 1 is a loss

0.75 corresponds to a 25% loss

Alternatively you can use the formula:

Selling Price − Cost Price

Percentage Pro t × 100
= Cost Price
A positive value is a pro t

An answer of 12 means a 12% pro t

A negative value is a loss

An answer of -28 means a 28% loss

EXAM TIP

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Use "common sense" to check your answer!

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 If an item is sold for more than it was bought for, you are expecting a pro t, not a
loss

WORKED EXAMPLE

The number of students in a school changes from 250 to

310. Describe the percentage change in number of

students.
Method 1
Amount after
Use the formula m=
Amount
before 310
= 1. 24
250
This multiplier is greater than 1, so corresponds to a percentage increase

A percentage increase of 24%

Method 2

After − Before
Use the formula Percentage × 100
Change = Before
310 − 250
× 100 = 24
250
The value is positive, so this is a percentage increase

A percentage increase of 24%

WORKED EXAMPLE

Sophie purchases a car for $8000 and sells it several years later

for $5600. Describe the percentage pro t or loss on the car.

Method 1
Selling Price
Use the formula m
= Cost Price

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 5600
= 0.7
8000
The value is less than 1 so means it is a percentage
loss

The selling price was 70% of the cost price, so a

loss of 30%

A loss of 30%

Method 2

Selling Price − Cost Price

Use the formula Percentage × 100
Pro t = Cost Price
5600− 8000
× 100 = − 30
8000
The value is negative, so this is a percentage loss

A loss of 30%

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Reverse Percentages
What is a reverse percentage?
A reverse percentage question is one where we are given the value after a
percentage increase or decrease and asked to f i nd the value before the change

How do I solve reverse percentage questions?

You should think about the before quantity

even though it is not given in the question

Find the percentage change as a multiplier, p

This is the decimal equivalent of a percentage change

A percentage increase of 4% means p = 1 + 0.04 = 1.04

A percentage decrease of 5% means p = 1 - 0.05 = 0.95

Use before × p = after to write an equation

Get the order right: the percentage change happens to the "before", not to the "after"

Rearrange the equation to make the "before" quantity the subject

Divide the "after" quantity by the multiplier, p

What is a common mistake with reverse percentage

questions?
Here is an example: a price of a mobile increases by 10% to £220

To f i nd the price before, you do not apply a 10% decrease to £220

That would give 220 × 0.9 = £198 (incorrect)

Use before × p = after instead

before × 1.1 = 220

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 220
before
= £200
= 1.1
(correct)
You cannot turn a percentage increase into a decrease with reverse percentage questions

EXAM TIP

To spot a reverse percentage question, see if you are being asked to f i nd a quantity in the past

Find the old / original / before amount ...

WORKED EXAMPLE

Jennie has been working for a company for the last

ten years. She receives a pay rise of 5%.

Her new salary is £31 500 per

year. Find her salary before

the pay rise.

Use "before" × p = "after" to write an equation

The "before" amount is unknown and the "after" amount is 31 500

"before" × 1.05 = 31

500 Find the multiplier, p (by writing 5% as a decimal and

adding it to 1)

p = 1 + 0.05 = 1.05

Find the value of "before" (by dividing both sides by 1.05)

31 500
"before" = = 30 000
1. 05

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 She was paid £30 000 before the pay rise

Jennie was paid £30 000 per year before the pay rise

Compound Interest & Depreciation

Compound Interest
Depreciation

Compound Interest
What is compound interest?
Compound interest is where interest is calculated on the running total, not just the starting amount

E.g. $ 100 earns 10% interest each year, for 3 years

At the end of year 1, 10% of $ 100 is earned

The total balance will now be 100+10 = $ 110

At the end of year 2, 10% of $ 110 is earned

The balance will now be 110+11 = $ 121

At the end of year 3, 10% of $ 121 is earned

The balance will now be 121+12.1 = $ 133.10

How do I calculate compound interest?

Compound interest increases an amount by a percentage and then increases the new
amount by the same percentage

This process repeats each time period (yearly or monthly etc)

We can use a multiplier to carry out the percentage increase multiple times

To increase $ 300 by 5% once, we would f i nd 300×1.05

To increase $ 300 by 5%, each year for 2 years, we would f i nd (300×1.05)×1.05

This could be rewritten as 300×1.052

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Page 35 of 81
 To increase $ 300 by 5%, each year for 3 years, we would find ((300×1.05)×1.05)×1.05

This could be rewritten as 300×1.053

This can be extended to any number of periods that the interest is applied for

If $ 2000 is subject to 4% compound interest each year for 12 years

Find 2000×1.0412, which is $ 3202.06

Note that this method calculates the total balance at the end of the period, not the interest earned

How do I solve reverse compound interest problems?

You could be told the nal balance after compound interest has been applied, and
need to nd the original amount

This could be referred to as a "reverse compound interest" problem

For example if:

The nal balance is £432

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Page 36 of 81
 After 20% interest has been applied each year

For 3 years

Using the same method as above, this can be written as an equation:

432 = P × 1. 203 where P is the original

amount Solve for P,
Divide both sides by 1. 203
432 ÷ 1 . 203 = P

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Page 37 of 81
 P = £ 250
In general, to nd the original amount:

Divide the nal amount by mn where

m is the multiplier for the time period
and n is the number of time periods (usually years)
EXAM TIP

The formula for compound interest is not given in the exam

WORKED EXAMPLE

Jasmina invests $ 1200 in a savings account, which pays compound interest at the
rate of 4% per year for 7 years.

To the nearest dollar, what is her investment worth at the end of

the 7 years? Method 1

We want an increase of 4% per

year This is equivalent to a multiplier of 1.04, or 104% of the
original amount

This multiplier is applied 7 times

× 1. 04× 1. 04× 1. 04× 1. 04× 1. 04× 1. 04× 1. 04 = 1. 047
Therefore, the f i nal value after 7 years will be

1200× 1. 047 = $ 1579. 118135...

Round to the nearest dollar

$ 1579

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 $ 1579

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Depreciation
What does depreciation mean?
Depreciation is where an item loses value over time

E.g. cars, mobile phones, etc

Depreciation is usually calculated as a percentage decrease at the end of each year

This works the same as compound interest, but with a percentage decrease

How do I calculate depreciation?

A similar method to compound interest can be used

Change the multiplier to one which represents a percentage decrease

e.g. a decrease of 15% would be a multiplier of 0.85

If a car worth $ 16 000 depreciates by 15% each year for 6 years

Its value will be 16 000 × 0.856, which is $ 6034.39

If you are asked to nd the amount the value has depreciated by:

Find the difference between the starting value and the new value

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Whats up +965 66600022 CLASS NOTES
Page 41 of 81
 r
Note that all of 1− is the
multiplier 100
e.g. 0.75 for a 25%
depreciation This formula is not given
in the exam

WORKED EXAMPLE

Mercy buys a car for £20 000. Each year its value depreciates

by 15%. Find the value of the car after 3 full years.

Identify the multiplier

100% - 15% =

85% m= 1-

0.15 = 0.85

Raise to the power of number of years

0.853

Multiply by the starting value

£20 000 × 0.853

£12 282.50

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Page 42 of 81
Introduction to Ratios
Sharing in a Ratio
Working with Proportion
Ratios
What is a ratio?
A ratio is a way of comparing one part of a whole to another

Ratios are used to compare one part to another part

What do ratios look like?

Ratios involve two or three dif f erent numbers separated using a colon

E.g. 2 : 5, 3 : 1, 4 : 2 : 3

In all ratio questions, who or what is mentioned first in the question, will be
associated with the rst part of the ratio

E.g. The cake recipe with our and butter in the ratio 2 : 1

'Flour' is associated with '2' and 'butter' is associated with '1'

The numbers in a ratio tell us, for each quantity involved, its proportion of the whole

In the ratio 4 : 3

The f i rst quantity comprises 4 parts (of the whole)

The second quantity comprises 3 parts (of the whole)

In total, the whole is made up of 4 + 3 = 7 parts

In the ratio 2 : 5 : 3

The f i rst quantity comprises 2 parts (of the whole)

The second quantity comprises 5 parts (of the whole)

The third quantity comprises 3 parts (of the whole)

In total, the whole is made up of 2 + 5 + 3 = 10 parts

Example
A pot of money is shared between three friends, Dave, John
and Mary. Dave receives $450, John receives $200 and Mary
receives $350.

(a) Find the total amount of money in the pot.

Add up the three separate amounts

450 + 200 + 350 = 1000

$1000

(b)Write down the ratio of money received by Dave, John

and Mary. (There is no need to simplify the ratio.)

Be careful with the order

Dave gets mentioned rst, so 450 will be the rst part of the ratio, then John and nally Mary

450 : 200 : 350

(c) Write down the fraction of the pot of money that

Mary receives. (There is no need to simplify the fraction.)

Fractions are compared to the whole, so this will be 'Mary's money' "out of" 'total money'

350
1000

What is an equivalent ratio?

Equivalent ratios are two ratios that represent the same proportion of quantities within a whole

E.g. The ratio 5 : 10 is equivalent to 20 : 40

Equivalent ratios are frequently used when the values involved take on a real-life meaning

E.g. A cake recipe involves our and butter being mixed in the ratio 3 : 2

3 g of our and 2 g of butter would not lead to a very big cake

An equivalent ratio of 300 : 200 gives a more realistic 300 g of our and 200 g of butter

How do I f i nd an equivalent ratio?

You can nd an equivalent ratio by multiplying (or dividing) each part of the ratio by the same value

E.g. Multiply each part of the ratio 2 : 3 : 7 by 4 to nd an equivalent ratio of 8 : 12 : 28

 Ratios can be scaled up or down to suit the context of a
question The size of each part in the ratio, relative to the
others, is still the same

The actual values in the equivalent ratio may be more meaningful in the
context of the situation

Finding equivalent ratios is similar to nding equivalent fractions

1
However it is crucial to remember that 1 : 4 is not equivalent to
4
EXAM TIP

Writing down what you are doing to each part of the ratio helps show your
working and makes it easier to keep track of what you are doing.

E.g.
WORKED EXAMPLE

The ratio of cabbage leaves eaten by two rabbits, Alfred and Bob, is 7 : 5.

(a) Write down an equivalent ratio that would involve a total of 48 cabbage leaves being eaten.

We have information about the whole so rst add up the parts of the ratio to nd
how many parts make the whole

7 + 5 = 12

We require a total of 48 so divide this by 12 to nd the multiplier

48 ÷ 12 = 4

Answer the question by multiplying each part of the ratio by this multiplier
 (b)On another occasion Bob eats 35 leaves.

Find out how many leaves Alfred

eats. Use the information about Bob to nd the multiplier

using division

35 ÷ 5 = 7

Now multiply Alfred's part of the ratio by the multiplier to answer the question

Alfred eats 49 cabbage leaves

What is a simplified ratio?

Simplifying a ratio involves finding an equivalent ratio where the numbers involved are smaller
 E.g. The ratio 45 : 30 is equivalent to 9 : 6

A ratio is in its simplest form when

All of the values in the ratio are integers

There are no common factors between each of the values in the ratio

E.g. The simplest form of the ratio 45 : 30 is 3 : 2

How do I simplify a ratio?

Divide each part of the ratio by the same

value This value should be a common factor of all

parts of the ratio

Ideally, the highest common factor (HCF) should be used to get the ratio into
its simplest form in one go

If the HCF is not used, we can repeat the process of simplifying

E.g. Divide all parts of the ratio 30 : 66 : 12 by 6 to nd the ratio in its simplest form 5 : 11 : 2

WORKED EXAMPLE

Amber and Naomi are sharing a large cake that has been cut into
48 pieces. Amber receives 30 of these pieces, Naomi receives the
rest.

Write down the ratio, in its simplest form, of the number of pieces of cake that Amber
receives to the number of pieces of cake that Naomi receives.

First use subtraction to nd the number of pieces that Naomi receives

48 - 30 = 18

Next write down the ratio without

simplifying Make sure you have the order
correct ('Amber to Naomi')

30 : 18

Look for a common factor of both 30 and 18 to simplify

the fraction 6 is the highest
common factor Divide both parts of the fraction
by 6
5 : 3
A : N

÷ 6 ⏐
30 : 18
⏐ ÷ 6

5:3
Sharing in a Ratio

Working with Ratios

How do I share an amount in a given ratio?
Add together all parts in the ratio to nd the total number of parts in the whole

$200 is to be shared between two people, A and B, in the ratio 5:3

There are 8 “parts” in total, as A receives 5 parts and B receives 3 parts

Divide the amount being shared by the total number of parts

$200 must be split into 8 parts, so this means that 1 part must be worth $25

200 ÷ 8 = 25

Multiply the amount each part is worth by the number of parts for each quantity in the ratio

Person A receives 5 parts, each worth $25

5 × 25 = $125 for person A

Person B receives 3 parts, each worth $25

3 × 25 = $75 for person B

Check the values in the new ratio add up to the total amount being shared

$125 + $75 = $200

EXAM TIP

Adding labels to your ratios will help make your working clearer and help you remember which
A :B
number represents which
quantity, e.g. 3 : 4

WORKED EXAMPLE

A particular shade of pink paint is made using three parts red paint, to two parts
white paint. Mark needs 60 litres of pink paint in order to decorate a room in his
house.
 Calculate the volume of red and white paint that Mark needs to purchase in order to
have enough paint to decorate the room.

The ratio of red to white is

3:2

Adding these together gives the total number of parts

3+2=5

The total amount of paint is 60 litres

∴ 5 parts = 60 litres

Divide both sides by 5 to nd out the number of litres in

one part

5 parts = 60 litres
÷5 ÷5
1 part = 12 litres
The ratio was 3:2, so multiply both number of
parts by 12

R : W

× 12 ⏐ ⏐ × 12
3 : 2

36 : 24
Answer in context, making sure you make it clear which value is associated with which colour paint

Mark will need to buy 36 litres of red paint and 24 litres of white paint

What type of ratio problems could I be asked to solve?

Simple ratio problems are discussed earlier, including

Writing ratios

The link between ratios and fractions

Equivalent ratios
Simplifying ratios
 Sharing an amount in a given ratio
Further problems involving ratio
include

Ratios where you are given the difference between the

two parts

E.g. Kerry is given $30 more than Kacey who is given $50

Ratios where one quantity is given and you have to f i nd the other quantity

E.g. Kerry and Kacey are sharing money in the ratio 8 : 5, Kacey gets $50

Situations where you are given two separate (two-part) ratios but can combine
them in to one (three-part) ratio

E.g. Kerry and Kacey are sharing money in the ratio 8 : 5 whilst Kacey is also
sharing money with Kylie in the ratio 1 : 2
How do I solve a ratio problem when given the difference?
between two parts?
Find the difference in the number of parts between the two quantities in the ratio

Compare the dif f erence in the number of parts with the difference between the actual numbers

Simplify to nd out the value of one part

Multiply the value of one part by the number of parts for each quantity in the ratio

Multiply the value of one part by the total number of parts to f i nd the total amount

Given one quantity of a ratio, how can I find the other

quantity?
Compare the given quantity with the relevant number of parts in the ratio

Simplify to find the value of one part

Multiply the value of one part by the number of parts in the remaining quantity in the ratio

Multiply the value of one part by the total number of parts to f i nd the total amount

WORKED EXAMPLE

(a) The ratio of cabbage leaves eaten by two rabbits, Alfred and Bob, is 8 : 4
respectively. It is known that Alfred eats 12 more cabbage leaves than Bob for a
particular period of time.
Find the total number of cabbage leaves eaten by the rabbits and the number that
each rabbit eats individually.

The difference in the number of parts is

8 - 4 = 4 parts

This means that

4 parts = 12 cabbage leaves

Dividing both by 4

1 part = 3 cabbage leaves

Find the total number of parts

8 + 4 = 12 parts

Find the total number of cabbage leaves

12 × 3 = 36

36 cabbage leaves in total

Find the number eaten by Alfred

8 × 3 = 24

24 cabbage leaves

Find the number eaten by Bob

4 × 3 = 12

12 cabbage leaves

(b)A particular shade of pink paint is made using 3 parts red paint, to two parts white
paint.

Mark already has 36 litres of red paint, but no white paint.

Calculate the volume of white paint that Mark needs to purchase in order to use all of
his red paint, and calculate the total amount of pink paint this will produce.

The ratio of red to white is

3:2

Mark already has 36 liters of red, so

 36 liters = 3
parts
Divide both sides by
3.
12 liters = 1 part

The ratio was 3 :

2 Find the volume of white paint,
2 parts

2 × 12 = 24

24 litres of white paint

In total there are 5 parts, so the total volume of paint will be

5 × 12 = 60

60 litres in total
Working with Proportion
What is direct proportion?
Direct proportion

As one quantity increases/decreases by a certain rate (factor)

The other quantity will increase/decrease by the same rate

The ratio of the two quantities is constant

E.g. 2 boxes of cereal is 800 g of corn akes

Doubling the number of boxes of cereal (4 boxes) will double the amount of corn akes (1600 g)

How do I solve direct proportion questions?

Read through wordy direct proportion questions carefully

Ensure that you understand the context of the question

Some questions may tell you the relationship between the two values as a ratio

Identify the two quantities involved

E.g. Hours worked and pay

Find the factor that you will be increasing/decreasing by

This may be given to you in the question, e.g. 'the amount is tripled'

The quantity is multiplied by three

Alternatively, nd the factor by dividing the 'new' quantity by the 'old' quantity

Multiply the other quantity by this factor to nd the required quantity

E.g. If three times as many hours are worked, the pay will be three times more in total

Give your nal answer in context

Round and give units where appropriate

 EXAM TIP

You may have to round an answer to a whole number, but think carefully about the
context of the question!
Rounding to the nearest whole number is often appropriate
Sometimes you need to round up to the next whole number even if it is
not the nearest

E.g. If you need 1.3 tins of paint, round the number of tins required up to 2 to
ensure that you have enough paint

What is the unitary method?

The unitary method means nding one of something (1 unit of something)

This can be a useful strategy

For example, nd the weight of 7 boxes, if 8 boxes weigh 60 kg

Find the weight of 1 box (1 unit) using division

60 kg ÷ 8 boxes = 7.5 kg per box

Scale this unit up using multiplication

7.5 kg per box × 7 boxes = 52.5 kg

WORKED EXAMPLE

The bonus received by an employee is directly proportional to the pro t made by the
company they work for.
Bonuses are paid at a rate of $250 per $3000 pro t the company makes.

(i) Work out the bonus an employee receives if the company makes a pro t of $18 000.

(ii) If the company makes less than $600 pro t, no bonus is paid.

Find the lowest bonus an employee could receive.

(i) Identify the two quantities 'pro t' and 'bonus'

Find the factor ('new' ÷ 'old') from

the pro t
18 000
=6
3000
 Multiply the bonus by the
factor
250 × 6 =
1500
Answer in context with units

An employee should receive a bonus of $1500

(ii) We are still working with pro t and

bonus The lowest bonus will be when the company makes

exactly $600 pro t

Find the factor using 'new'

÷ 'old'
600 1
=
3000 5
Find the amount of bonus by multiplying by the factor

1
250 × = 50
5
Answer in context with units

The lowest amount of bonus an employee could receive is $50

What is inverse proportion?

Inverse proportion

As one quantity increases by a certain rate (factor)

The other quantity will decrease by the same rate

This relationship applies vice versa too, if one quantity decreases the other increases

E.g. If 2 robots take 15 hours to build a car

Tripling the number of robots (6) would mean the time taken to build a car would
be divided by 3 (5 hours)

How do I solve inverse proportion questions?

Read through wordy inverse proportion questions carefully

Ensure that you understand the context of the question

 Some questions may tell you the relationship between the two
values as a ratio Identify the two quantities involved

Find the factor that you will be increasing/decreasing by

This may be given to you in the question, e.g. 'the amount is tripled'

Alternatively, nd this by dividing the 'new' quantity by the 'old' quantity

Divide the other quantity by this factor to nd the required quantity

Give your nal answer in context

Round and give units where appropriate

EXAM TIP

Think about the context to determine if a question is direct or inverse proportion

As the number of robots goes up, the time to build a car comes down
(inverse proportion) If you buy more boxes of cereal, the amount of cereal
also increases (direct proportion)

WORKED EXAMPLE

The time taken to ll a swimming pool is inversely proportional to the number of

pumps used to pump the water in.
If 3 pumps are used it will take 12 hours to ll the pool.

(i) Work out the amount of time required to ll the pool if 9 pumps are used.

(ii) If only 2 pumps are available nd out how much extra time will be needed to ll the pool.

(i) Identify the two quantities, 'number of pumps' and

'time (hours)' Find the factor ('new' ÷ 'old') from the

number of pumps

9
=3
3
Divide the time by the
factor
12 ÷ 3 = 4
Answer in context with units

If 9 pumps are used it will take 4 hours to ll the swimming pool

(ii) We are still working with 'pumps' and 'time'

Find the factor using 'new'

÷ 'old'
2
( = 0.666 666 . .
3.)
Avoid rounding, keep the exact value in your calculator (it will be stored under the
ANS key) Find the time taken by dividing by the factor

2
12 ÷ = 18
3
Answer in context with units

If only 2 pumps are available then it will take 18 hours to ll the swimming pool
Ratio Problem Solving

Ratios & FDP

Multiple

Ratios
Ratios & FDP
How are ratios and fractions linked?
Fractions and ratios are closely linked and are used to compare a part of a whole

A fraction compares a part to the whole

A ratio compares one part to another part

For example, a pizza is sliced into 8 pieces, and shared between two people such that
the rst person receives 5 slices, and the second person receives 3 slices

As a fraction (of the whole)

5
The rst person receives of the pizza
8
3
The second person receives of the pizza
8
The ratio of slices of the rst person to the second person is 5 : 3

The 8 does not appear in the ratio but is obtained by adding the parts together (5 + 3 = 8)

Unlike ratios, fractions can be converted/expressed as percentages or decimals

How do I answer questions involving ratios along

with fractions and/or percentages?
In harder ratio questions, the information you are given may also involve fractions and/or percentages

Remember that you can use multiplication to f i nd fractions or percentages of something

E.g. Finding a fraction of a fraction

3 2
Of the of the people in the school who are members of staff , of them
40 3
wore Christmas jumpers on a particular day
 3 2 6 1
That × =
means 40 3 120 of the people in the school that
= 20 were
day

members of staff wearing Christmas jumpers

E.g. Finding a percentage of a fraction

37
Of the of the people in the school who are students, 88% of them wore
40
Christmas jumpers on that same day

To find 88% of something, you can multiply it by 0.88

37
× 0. 88 = 0.814, so this means 81.4% of the people in the school that day were
40
students wearing Christmas jumpers
An alternative method is to 'pick a number' for the total number of things in the question

E.g. Assume there are a 1000 people in the school (this is not necessarily the actual total)

You can calculate the percentages or fractions using real numbers

Remember to turn your f i nal answer back into the correct form

EXAM TIP

In these types of questions it is really important to read the question carefully,

so that you are clear about which bits are referring to what!
Give your f i nal answer in the form asked for by the question (fraction, ratio, or percentage).

WORKED EXAMPLE

A shop sells only two f l avours of crisps - Stilton Surprise and Pickled Haggis. Packages of those two
flavours of crisps only occur in two sizes - regular and jumbo.

The ratio of packages of Stilton Surprise crisps to packages of Pickled Haggis crisps
in the shop is 7:3.

30% of the packages of Stilton Surprise crisps are regular sized.

2
of the packages of Pickled Haggis crisps are regular
5
sized. What percentage of all the packages of crisps in the shop

are jumbo sized?

Method 1 (Pure fractions and percentages method)

First nd the fractions of each type of

crisp The ratio divides the crisps into
7+3=10 parts 7 of those parts are Stilton Surprise, and
3 of them are Pickled Haggis

7 7
=
7+3 are Stilton Surprise
10
3 3
=
7+3 are Pickled Haggis
10
30% of the Stilton Surprise are regular sized
So multiply 7/10 by 0.3 to nd the percentage that are Stilton Surprise and regular sized

7 7 3 21
× 0.3 × =
10
= 10 10 100

21
= 0. 21
100

So 21% are regular sized Stilton Surprise

2/5 of the Pickled Haggis are regular sized
So multiply 3/10 by 2/5 to nd the percentage that are Pickled Haggis and regular sized

3 2 6
× =
10 5 50

6
= 12
50 = 0. 12
100

So 12% are regular sized Pickled Haggis

Add those together to nd the percentage that are regular sized

21 + 12 = 33% regular sized

And nally subtract 33% from 100% to nd the percentage that are jumbo sized

100 − 33 = 67
67% are jumbo sized

Method 2 ('Pick a number' method)

Start by assuming (for example) that there are 100 packages of

crisps in the shop The ratio divides the crisps into 7+3=10 parts
So divide 100 by 10 to nd how many packages are in 1 part

100 ÷ 10 = 10 packages
7 of those parts are Stilton Surprise, and 3 of them are Pickled
Haggis So multiply 10 by 7 and by 3 to nd out how many packages of
each type there are

7 × 10 = 70 are Stilton Surprise

3 × 10 = 30 are Pickled Haggis

30% of the Stilton Surprise are regular sized
So multiply 70 by 0.3 to nd how many are Stilton Surprise and regular sized

3
70 × 0 . 3 = 70 ×
10
210
=
10

= 21 are regular sized Stilton Surprise

2/5 of the Pickled Haggis are regular sized
So multiply 30 by 2/5 to nd how many are Pickled Haggis and regular sized

2 60
30 × =
5 5

= 12 are regular sized Pickled Haggis

Add those together to nd how many in total are regular sized
 21 + 12 = 33 are regular sized
Subtract 33 from 100 to nd how many are jumbo sized

100 − 33 = 67 are jumbo sized

And nally turn that into a percentage out of 100

67
= 0. 67
100
67% are jumbo sized
Multiple Ratios
How do I combine two ratios to make a three-part ratio?
Identify the link between the two di erent ratios

Find equivalent ratios for both original ratios, where the value of the link is the same

Join the two, two-part ratios into a three-part ratio

Suppose that on a farm with 85 animals

The ratio of cows to sheep is 2:3

The ratio of sheep to pigs is 6:7

We want to nd the number of each animal on the farm

We need to nd a combined, 3−part ratio that shows the relative portions of all the animals together

Notice that sheep appear in both ratios, so we can use sheep as the link between the two

C:S = 2:3 and S:P = 6:7

We can multiply both sides of the C:S ratio by 2, so that both ratios are
comparing relative to 6 sheep

C:S = 4:6 and S:P = 6:7

These can now be joined together

C:S:P = 4:6:7

We can now use this to share the 85 animals in the ratio 4:6:7

There are 17 parts in total (4 + 6 + 7 = 17)

Each part is worth 5 animals (85 ÷ 17 = 5)

There are 20 cows (4 × 5), 30 sheep (6 × 5), and 35 pigs (7 × 5)

WORKED EXAMPLE
In Jamie’s sock drawer the ratio of black socks to striped socks is 5 : 2
respectively. The ratio of striped socks to white socks in the drawer is 6 : 7
respectively.

Calculate the percentage of socks in the drawer that are

black. Write down the ratios

B:S=5:
2S:W=
6:7

S features in both ratios, so we can use it as a

link Multiply the B : S ratio by 3 to nd an
equivalent ratio Both ratios are now comparing
to 6 striped socks

B : S = 15 :
6S:W=
6:7

Link them together

B : S : W = 15 : 6 : 7

Find the total number of parts

15 + 6 + 7 = 28

This means 15 out of 28 socks are

black Find 15 out of 28 as a decimal by
completing the division

15
= 0.535 714 285 . . .
28
Convert to a percentage
Multiply by 100 and round to 3 signi cant
gures

53.6 % of the socks are black

Direct & Inverse Proportion
Direct Proportion

Inverse Proportion
Direct Proportion
What is direct proportion?
Proportion is a way of talking about how two variables are related to each other

Direct proportion means that as one variable goes up the other goes up by the same factor

The ratio between the two amounts will always stay the same

The symbol ∝ means "proportional to"

E.g. y is directly proportional to x, y ∝ x

If x and y are directly proportional, then

x : y will always be the same

there will be some value, k, such that y = kx

the graph relating x and y is a linear graph, with gradient k

k is called the constant of proportionality

How do I use direct proportion with powers and roots?
Problems may involve a variable being directly proportional to a power or root of another variable

For example

y is directly proportional to the square of x

y ∝x2
 means that y = kx2
y is directly proportional to the square root
of x

y∝ x
means that y = kx
y is directly proportional to the cube of x

y ∝x3
means that y = kx3
Each of these would have a di erent type of graph, depending on the power or root
How do I nd the equation between two directly proportional
variables?
Direct proportion questions always have the same process:

STEP 1
Identify the two variables and write down the formula in terms of k

E.g. y is directly proportional to x

write down the formula y = kx

STEP 2
Find k by substituting any given values from the question into your formula, then solving to get k

E.g. if you are told y = 6 when x

= 2 then 6 = k × 2 giving k
=3
STEP 3
Rewrite the formula with the known value of k from above (substitute it in)

y = 3x
This is the equation relating the two variables

STEP 4
Use the equation to answer other parts of the question

E.g. nd y when x = 10
 y = 3x gives y = 3 × 10= 30
EXAM TIP

Some harder exam questions do not tell you to work out the equation

You are expected to do it on your own

WORKED EXAMPLE

It is known that y is directly proportional to the square of

x . When x = 3, y = 18.
Find the value of y when x = 4.
Identify the two
variables
y, x2
We are told this is direct
proportion Write down the
formula involving k

y = kx2
Find k by substituting in y = 18 when x
= 3 Then solve the equation for k

18= k (3)2
18= 9k
18
=k
9
2=k
 Substitute this value of k back into the formula to get the full equation

y = 2x2
Use this formula to f i nd y when x = 4

y = 2 × 42
y = 2 × 16
y = 32
y = 32

Inverse Proportion
What is inverse proportion?
Inverse proportion means as one variable goes up the other goes down by the same factor

If two quantities are inversely proportional, then we can say that one is directly
proportional to the reciprocal of the other

The symbol, ∝ , is used to show that one quantity is "directly proportional to the
reciprocal of" (inversely proportional to) another quantity

1
"y is inversely proportional to x" is written y∝
x
If x and y are inversely proportional, then

1
: y will always be the same
x
k
there will be some value of k such that y=
x
k
The graph of y = is shown below
x
How do I use inverse proportion with powers and roots?
Problems may involve a variable being inversely proportional to a power or root of another variable

For example,

y is inversely proportional to the square of x

1
y∝
x2
 k
means that y=
x2
y is inversely proportional to the square root
of x

1
y∝
x
k
means that y=
x
y is inversely proportional to the cube of x

1
y∝
x3
k
means that y=
x3
Each of these would have a different type of graph, depending on the power or root
How do I f i nd the equation between two inversely
proportional variables?
Inverse proportion questions always have the same process:

STEP 1
Identify the two variables and write down the formula in terms of k

E.g. y is inversely proportional to x

k
write down the formula y=
x
STEP 2
Find k by substituting any given values from the question into your formula, then solving to get k

E.g. if you are told y = 5 when x = 6

k
then 5= giving k = 30
6
 STEP 3
Rewrite the formula with the known value of k from above (substitute
it in)

30
y=
x
This is the equation relating the two variables

STEP 4
Use the equation to answer other parts of the question

E.g. f i nd y when x = 2

30 30
y= gives y= = 15
x 2
WORKED EXAMPLE

t hours, it takes to complete a project is inversely proportional to the square root of

The time,
the number, n , of people working on it.

If 25 people work on the project, it takes 50 hours to complete.

(a)Find an equation connecting t and n .

Identify the two
variables
t, n
We are told this is inverse proportion to the square root of n
Write down the formula involving k

k
t=2 n

Find k by substituting in n = 25 and t = 50 (from the words in the question)

 k
50=
2 25
k
50=
5
50× 5 = k
250 = k
Substitute this value of k back into the formula to get the full equation

= 250
(b)Given that the project needs to be completed within 40 hours, f i nd the minimum 2 n
number of people needed to work on it.

Use the formula to find n when t = 40

250
40=
2 n
250
2 n= = 6. 25
40
n = 6. 252 = 39. 0625
A sensible answer here is a whole number (as n
is the number of
people) 39 people would not complete it in time, but 40 would

40 people