MODULE 1

RATIO AND PROPORTION

RATIO
The comparison between two quantities of the same kind of unit is the ratio of one quantity to
another.

In the ratio

, a: b =

, b0

If a=b, = = 1:1
Points to remember

The order of the terms in a ratio is very important.

The quantities of a ratio must be expressed in the same units.
The ratio is unaltered if each term is multiplied or divided by the same number.

and
When a certain quantity `q' is divided in a given ratio a:b, the two parts are
+

Ex-1) Find the ratio of 6 to 10 6:10 =

Ex-2) Find the ratio of

to : =

= = 3:5

= = 5: 6

Ex-3) Find the ratio of 5x to 3y/4 = 5x: 3y/4 =

= 20x: 3y

Commensurable ratio is the ratio of two quantities which can be expressed in the ratio of 2
integers.
Ex- 3x: 14x =

= 3:14

Incommensurable ratio is the ratio of any two quantities in which one or both is/are a surd
quantity.

Compounded ratio When two or more ratio are multiplied term-wise, the final ratio
obtained is called the compounded ratio.
Ex-1) what is the compounded ratio for 4: 5 and 6: 7?
Sol: CR = (4: 5) (6: 7) = (46): (57) = 24: 35
Ex-2) what is the compounded ratio for 3X: 4Y, X: Y and X: Z?
Sol: (3X: 4Y) (X: Y) (X: Z) = (3X X X): (4Y Y Z)
= 3X3: 4Y2Z =
Duplicate ratio is the compounded ratio of two equal ratios.
Ex- a: b ---- DR = =

Ex-1) Find the duplicate ratio of 3: 4.

Sol: DR = =

= 9: 16

Ex-2) If a: b is the duplicate ratio of (a+x): (b+x), show that = ab

=

+x

+ ax+x

=
a
a
a

+ =b

+ =b

+ =b

- bx = b

+ bx

+ ax + x

+ abx + bx

Triplicate ratio is the compounded ratio of three equal ratios.

Ex- a: b --- TR = =

Ex-1) Find the triplicate ratio of 3: 4.

:

Sol: TR = =

= 27: 64

Sub-duplicate ratio For any ratio a: b, the sub-duplicate ratio is defined as :

Ex-1) Find the sub-duplicate ratio of 81: 121.

Sol: = 8 :

= 9: 11

Sub-triplicate ratio For any ratio a: b, the sub-triplicate ratio is defined as :

Ex-1) Find the sub-triplicate ratio of 125: 343.

:

Sol: TR =

= 5: 7

Reciprocal ratio For any ratio a: b, the reciprocal ratio is defined as

(= b: a)

Ex-1) Find the reciprocal ratio of 3: 4.

Sol: RR =

= 4: 3

Equivalent ratio is obtained by multiplying or dividing both the numerator and denominator
by same quantity.
Thus, for a: b

So, for a: b, ERs are =

...

Ex-1) Find two equivalent ratios of 5: 6.

= =

5: 6, 10: 12, 15: 18

Comparing ratios To compare given ratios, we convert them to fractions and can equate the
denominators.
Ex-1) which is greater? 4: 5 or 3: 7?
LCM of denominators = 35

(4: 5)> (3: 7)

Some properties of ratio

/
+
+

a: b: c = x: y: z is equivalent to

> if ay > bx

< if ay < bx

If = = = .. =k

+ + +

+ + +

Also, k =
K=

=k

If > 1 or a> b, then

If < 1 or a< b, then

,

and

= =

+
+
+

< , a, b, x N
> , a, b, x N

are respectively the duplicate, triplicate, sub-duplicate and sub-

triplicate ratios of .

PROPORTION
A statement expressing the quantity of two ratios is called a proportion.
So, if a: b = c: d, or

Then a, b, c, d are in proportion.

Rule
ad=bc
`or'
Product of extremes = Product of means.
In a: b :: c: d, d is the fourth proportional to a, b and c.
If x is the third proportional to a and b then a: b : : b: x.
Mean proportional of a and b is .
Continued Proportion 3 or more quantities are said to be in proportion when

a: = : = : d ..et
Laws of proportion:
If a: b = c: d, then

ad = bc
=
=

b : a = d: c (Invertendo)
a: c = b: d (Alternendo)
+

=
=

(componendo)
(dividendo)

(componendo and dividendo)

+

Q1) A person distributes his pens among four friends a, B, C and D in the ratio
What is the minimum number of pens that the person should have?

Sol: LCM (3, 4, 5, 6) = 60

A: B: C: D= 60

: 60

Total number of pens = 57R

= 20: 15: 12: 10

For minimum number of pens, R=1

The person should have at least 57 pens.
Q2) A bag contains 50p, 25p and 10p coins in the ratio 5: 9: 4 amounting to Rs 206. Find the
number of coins of each type.
Sol: Ratio of number of coins = 5: 9: 4
Ratio of value of same type of coins =
103R---- 206

= 50: 45: 8

1R-------- 2
Number of 50p coins = 50R 2= 200
Number of 25p coins = 45R 4 = 360

Number of 10p coins= 8R 10 =160

Q3) A mixture contains alcohol and water in the ratio of 4: 3. If 5 litres of water is added to
the mixture, the ratio becomes 4: 5. Find the quantities of alcohol in the given mixture.
Sol: Alcohol: water = 4: 3 = 3R: 4R

8R=20 => R = 2.5

Quantity of alcohol = 4R = 42.5= 10 litres
Q4) In a mixture of 60 litres, the ratio of milk and water is 2: 1. If this ratio of milk and water
is 1: 2 then the quantity of water to be further added is?
Sol: M+W = 60 lit.
M: W = 2: 1 =2R: 1R
3R-----60 lit.
1R------20 lit.
M = 2R= 40 lit. Quantity of milk
W =1R = 20 lit. Quantity of water
+

20+ X= 80

---- X= 60 lit.

Quantity of water further added = X= 60 lit.

Q5) 60kg of alloy A is mixed with 100kg of alloy B. If alloy A has lead and tin in the ratio 3: 2
and alloy B has tin and copper in the ratio 1: 4, then the amount of tin in new alloy is?
Sol:

Q6) Gold is 19 times as heavy as water and copper is 9 times as heavy as water. In what ratio
should these be mixed to get an alloy 15 times as heavy as water?
Sol: Let 1 gm of gold be mixed with x gm of copper to get (1 + x) gm of the alloy.
(1 gm gold) + (x gm copper) = (x + 1) gm of alloy
19W + 9Wx = (x + 1) x 15W
19 + 9x = 15(x + 1)
6x = 4
x =
Ratio of gold with copper = 1 : (2/3) = 3: 2
Q7) 15 litres of mixture contains 20% alcohol and the rest of water. If 3 litres of water be
mixed with it, the percentage of alcohol in the new mixture would be?

Q8) 20 litres of a mixture contains milk and water in the ratio 5: 3. If 4 litres of this mixture be
replaced by 4 litres of milk, the ratio of milk to water in the new mixture would be?
Sol: Taken off 4L of water (remaining =16L), the ratio is 5:3 then 5/8 milk i.e. 10L milk & 6L
water.
Add 4L of milk (new mix. = 20L), you have 14L milk, 6L water.
14:6 = 7:3

Q 9) Three containers have their volumes in the ratio 3: 4: 5. They are full of mixtures of milk
and water. The mixtures contain milk ad water in the ratio (4: 1), (3: 1) and (5: 2) respectively.
The contents of all these three containers are poured into fourth container. The ratio of milk
and water in the fourth container is?

Q 10) Four numbers are in proportion. The sum of the squares of the four numbers is 50 and
the sum of the means is 5. The ratio of first two terms is 1: 3. What is the average of the four
numbers?

Q11) A naughty student breaks the pencil in such a way that the ratio of two broken parts is
same as that of the length of the pencil to one of the larger part of the pencil. The ratio of the
other part to the original length of pencil is?

Q12) A student obtained equal marks in History and Sociology. The ratio of marks in Sociology
and Geography is 2: 3 and the ratio of marks in History and Philosophy is 1: 2. If he has scored
an aggregate of 55% marks, the maximum marks in each subject is same. In how many
subjects, did he score equal to or greater than 60% marks?

Q13) The ratio of income of Anil and Mukesh is 2: 3. The sum of their expenditure is Rs 8000
and the amount of savings of Anil is equal to the amount of expenditure of Mukesh. What is
the sum of their savings?

Q14) Hutch and Essar entered into a partnership just 5 months ago. The ratio of profit
claimed by Hutch and Essar is 6: 17. If Essar had just started his business 12 months ago with
Rs 1275, what is the amount contributed by Hutch?

Q15) Rs 4536 is divided among 4 men, 5 women and 2 boys. The ratio of share of a man, a
woman and a boy is 7: 4: 3. What is the share of a woman?

Q16) The concentration of petrol in three different mixtures (petrol and kerosene) is

, and

respectively. If 2 litres, 3 litres and 1 litre are taken from these three different vessels and
mixed, what is the ratio of petrol and kerosene in the new mixture?
Sol: Concentration of petrol in A, B, C is 1/2, 3/5, 4/5 respectively
Quantity of petrol taken from A = 1 litre out of 2 litre
Quantity of petrol taken from B = 1.8 litre out of 3 litre
Quantity of petrol taken from C = 0.8 litre out of 1 litre

Total petrol taken out from A, B, C= (1+1.8+0.8) = 3.6 litre

Quantity of kerosene = (2+3+1) 3.6 = 2.4 litre

Ratio of petrol to kerosene = 3.6/2.4 = 3/2

Q17) There are two vessels containing the mixture of milk and water. In the first vessel, the
water is 2/3 of the milk and in the second vessel; water is just 40% of the milk. In what ratio,
these are required to mix to make 24 litres mixture in which the ratio of water to milk is 1: 2?

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