RATIOS AND PROPROTIONS

Formulas on ratios and proportions

Ratio:The ratio of two quantities a and b in the same units, is the fraction and we write it as a :
b.
In the ratio a : b, we call a as the first term or antecedent and b, the second term or consequent.
Eg. The ratio 5 : 9 represents
5
with antecedent = 5, consequent = 9.
9
Rule: The multiplication or division of each term of a ratio by the same non-zero number does
not affect the ratio.
Eg. 4 : 5 = 8 : 10 = 12 : 15. Also, 4 : 6 = 2 : 3.
Proportion:The equality of two ratios is called proportion.
If a : b = c : d, we write a : b :: c : d and we say that a, b, c, d are in proportion.
Here a and d are called extremes, while b and c are called mean terms.
Product of means = Product of extremes.
Thus, a : b :: c : d (b x c) = (a x d).
Fourth Proportional:If a : b = c : d, then d is called the fourth proportional to a, b, c.
Third Proportional:
a : b = c : d, then c is called the third proportion to a and b.
Mean Proportional:
Mean proportional between a and b is ab.
Comparison of Ratios:We say that (a : b) > (c : d)
a
>
c
.
b d
Compounded Ratio:
The compounded ratio of the ratios: (a : b), (c : d), (e : f) is (ace : bdf).
Duplicate Ratios:Duplicate ratio of (a : b) is (a
2
: b
2
).
Sub-duplicate ratio of (a : b) is (a : b).
Triplicate ratio of (a : b) is (a
3
: b
3
).
Sub-triplicate ratio of (a : b) is (a
1/3
: b
1/3
).
If
a
=
c
, then
a + b
=
c + d
. [componendo and dividendo]
b d a - b c - d
Variations:We say that x is directly proportional to y, if x = ky for some constant k and we
write, x y.
We say that x is inversely proportional to y, if xy = k for some constant k and
we write, x
1
.
y
SOLVED PROBLEMS ON RATIOS AND PROPORTIONS WITH
SOLUTIONS
1. A and B together have Rs. 1210. If of A's amount is equal to of B's amount, how much
amount does B have?
A.Rs. 460 B.Rs. 484
C.Rs. 550 D.Rs. 664
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
4
A=
2
B
15 5
A =
2
x
15
B
5 4
A =
3
B
2
A
=
3
B 2
A : B = 3 : 2.
B's share = Rs. 1210 x
2
= Rs. 484.
2. Two numbers are respectively 20% and 50% more than a third number. The ratio of the two
numbers is:
A.2 : 5 B.3 : 5
C.4 : 5 D.
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
Let the third number be x.
Then, first number = 120% of x =
120x
=
6x
100 5
Second number = 150% of x =
150x
=
3x
100 2
Ratio of first two numbers =
6x
:
3x
= 12x : 15x = 4 : 5.
3. A sum of money is to be distributed among A, B, C, D in the proportion of 5 : 2 : 4 : 3. If C
gets Rs. 1000 more than D, what is B's share?
A.Rs. 500 B.Rs. 1500
C.Rs. 2000 D.None of these
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
Let the shares of A, B, C and D be Rs. 5x, Rs. 2x, Rs. 4x and Rs. 3x respectively.
Then, 4x - 3x = 1000
x = 1000.
B's share = Rs. 2x = Rs. (2 x 1000) = Rs. 2000.
4. Seats for Mathematics, Physics and Biology in a school are in the ratio 5 : 7 : 8. There is a
proposal to increase these seats by 40%, 50% and 75% respectively. What will be the ratio of
increased seats?
A.2 : 3 : 4 B.6 : 7 : 8
C.6 : 8 : 9 D.None of these
Answer: Option A
Explanation:
Originally, let the number of seats for Mathematics, Physics and Biology be 5x, 7x and 8x
respectively.
Number of increased seats are (140% of 5x), (150% of 7x) and (175% of 8x).
140
x 5x ,
150
x 7x and
175
x 8x
100 100 100
7x,
21x
and 14x.
2
The required ratio = 7x :
21x
: 14x
2
14x : 21x : 28x
2 : 3 : 4.
5. In a mixture 60 litres, the ratio of milk and water 2 : 1. If the this ratio is to be 1 : 2, then the
quanity of water to be further added is:
A.20 litres B.30 litres
C.40 litres D.60 litres
Answer: Option D
Explanation:
Quantity of milk = 60 x
2
litres = 40 litres.
3
Quantity of water in it = (60- 40) litres = 20 litres.
New ratio = 1 : 2
Let quantity of water to be added further be x litres.
Then, milk : water =
40
.
20 + x
Now,
40
=
1
20 + x 2
20 + x = 80
x = 60.
Quantity of water to be added = 60 litres.
6. The ratio of the number of boys and girls in a college is 7 : 8. If the percentage increase in the
number of boys and girls be 20% and 10% respectively, what will be the new ratio?
A.8 : 9 B.17 : 18
C.21 : 22 D.Cannot be determined
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
Originally, let the number of boys and girls in the college be 7x and 8x respectively.
Their increased number is (120% of 7x) and (110% of 8x).
120
x 7x and
110
x 8x
100 100
42x
and
44x
5 5
The required ratio =
42x
:
44x
= 21 : 22.
5 5
7. Salaries of Ravi and Sumit are in the ratio 2 : 3. If the salary of each is increased by Rs. 4000,
the new ratio becomes 40 : 57. What is Sumit's salary?
A.Rs. 17,000 B.Rs. 20,000
C.Rs. 25,500 D.Rs. 38,000
Answer: Option D
Explanation:
Let the original salaries of Ravi and Sumit be Rs. 2x and Rs. 3x respectively.
Then,
2x + 4000
=
40
3x + 4000 57
57(2x + 4000) = 40(3x + 4000)
6x = 68,000
3x = 34,000
Sumit's present salary = (3x + 4000) = Rs.(34000 + 4000) = Rs. 38,000.
8. If 0.75 : x :: 5 : 8, then x is equal to:
A.1.12 B.1.2
C.1.25 D.1.30
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
(x x 5) = (0.75 x 8) x =
6
= 1.20
5
9. The sum of three numbers is 98. If the ratio of the first to second is 2 :3 and that of the second
to the third is 5 : 8, then the second number is:
A.20 B.30
C.48 D.58
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
Let the three parts be A, B, C. Then,
A : B = 2 : 3 and B : C = 5 : 8 = 5 x
3
: 8 x
3
= 3 :
24
5 5 5
A : B : C = 2 : 3 :
24
= 10 : 15 : 24
5
B = 98 x
15
= 30.
49
10. If Rs. 782 be divided into three parts, proportional to : : , then the first part is:
A.Rs. 182
B.Rs. 190
C.Rs. 196 D.Rs. 204
Answer: Option D
Explanation:
Given ratio = : : = 6 : 8 : 9.
1
st
part = Rs. 782 x
6
= Rs. 204
23
11. The salaries A, B, C are in the ratio 2 : 3 : 5. If the increments of 15%, 10% and 20% are
allowed respectively in their salaries, then what will be new ratio of their salaries?
A.3 : 3 : 10 B.10 : 11 : 20
C.23 : 33 : 60 D.Cannot be determined
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
Let A = 2k, B = 3k and C = 5k.
A's new salary =
115
of 2k =
115
x 2k =
23k
100 100 10
B's new salary =
110
of 3k =
110
x 3k =
33k
100 100 10
C's new salary =
120
of 5k =
120
x 5k = 6k
100 100
New ratio
23k
:
33k
: 6k = 23 : 33 : 60
10 10
12. If 40% of a number is equal to two-third of another number, what is the ratio of first number
to the second number?
A.2 : 5 B.3 : 7
C.5 : 3 D.7 : 3
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
Let 40% of A =
2
B
3
Then,
40A
=
2B
100 3
2A
=
2B
5 3
A
=
2
x
5
=
5
B 3 2 3
A : B = 5 : 3.
13. The fourth proportional to 5, 8, 15 is:
A.18 B.24
C.19 D.20
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
Let the fourth proportional to 5, 8, 15 be x.
Then, 5 : 8 : 15 : x
5x = (8 x 15)
x =
(8 x 15)
= 24.
5
14. Two number are in the ratio 3 : 5. If 9 is subtracted from each, the new numbers are in the
ratio 12 : 23. The smaller number is:
A.27 B.33
C.49 D.55
Answer: Option B
Explanation:
Let the numbers be 3x and 5x.
Then,
3x - 9
=
12
5x - 9 23
23(3x - 9) = 12(5x - 9)
9x = 99
x = 11.
The smaller number = (3 x 11) = 33.
15. In a bag, there are coins of 25 p, 10 p and 5 p in the ratio of 1 : 2 : 3. If there is Rs. 30 in all,
how many 5 p coins are there?
A.50 B.100
C.150 D.200
Answer: Option C
Explanation:
Let the number of 25 p, 10 p and 5 p coins be x, 2x, 3x respectively.
Then, sum of their values = Rs.
25x
+
10 x 2x
+
5 x 3x
= Rs.
60x
100 100 100 100
60x
= 30 x =
30 x 100
= 50.
100 60
Hence, the number of 5 p coins = (3 x 50) = 150.
EXERCISE PROBLEMS ON RATIOS AND PROPORTION
1.If a:b=3:7,find the value of (5a+b):(4a+5b)
a)15:44 b)22:35 c)15:49 d)22:47
2.The ratio between two number is 3:5 and their is 40.Find the larger of two numbers
a)15 b)20 c)25 d)40
3.A bag contains one rupee,50 paise and 25 paise coins in the ratio 1:2:4.If the
total amount is Rs 75,then find the number of 50 paise coins in the bag
a)25 b)50 c)75 d)100
4.If (x+4):(3x+15) is the triplicate of 2:3.Find the value of x
a)1 b)3 c)4 d)none of these
5.If a is 75% of b,b is 150% of c and d is 25% of c,then find a:d
a)9:1 b)9:2 c)8:3 d)8:1
6.The present ages of two persons are in the ratio 7:8.Twenty years ago the ratio of
their ages was 9:11.Find the present age of the older son
a)64 years b)72 years c)56 years d)40 years
7.Find x:y:z,if 2x+y-5z = 0 and 3x-2y-4z=0
a)1:2:1 b)1:1:1 c)1:1:2 d)2:1:1
8.A certain sum is divided among A,B and C in a manner that for every rupee that A
gets,B gets 75 paise and for every rupee that B gets,C gets 50 paisee.If B's share
in the total sum is Rs 840.Find the share of A
a)Rs 2380 b)Rs 2240 c)Rs 1750 d)Rs 1120
9.Seventy eight is divided into two parts such that five times the first part and four
times the second part are in the ratio 15:14.Find the first part
a)32 b)36 c)42 d)46
10.A certain amount of money is divided among A,B and C such that A gets half of what
B and C gets together.B gets one third of what A and C together get.If A got Rs 500
more than B,then how much money was divided?
a)Rs4500 b)Rs 6000 c)Rs 8000 d)none of these
11.In a school there are 650 students.The ratio of the boys to that of the girls is 8:5.
How many more girls should join the school so that the ratio becomes 4:3?
a)25 b)50 c)100 d)200
12.A variable x varies directly as the cube of another variable y.if x=4,y=2,then find y
when x = 32
a)4 b)8 c)16 d)32
13.What should be subracted from both the numbers which are in the ratio 3:4 so that the
ratio becomes 2:3
a)4 b)6 c)10 d)cannot be determined
14.A varies directly as the sum of the quantities B and C.B in turn varies directly as x and
C varies inversely as x.When x=2,A = 6 and when x=4,A=9.Find the value of A when the value
of x=16
a)2 1/2 b)1 c)8 1/2 d)32 1/4
15.The volume of a shere varies directly as the cube of its radius.If three cubes of radii 3
cm,4 cm and 5 cm are melted and recast into one sphere,then find the radius of the sphere
a)5.5 cm b)6 cm c)7 cm d)7.5 cm
16.How many students are there in college A?
a)2000 b)2500 c)3000 d)3500
17.How many girls are there in two colleges together?
a)1400 b)1600 c)1700 d)2000
18.How many more/less humanities students are there in college A than in college B?
a)400 more b)400 less c)500 less d)500 more
19.If (2x+5):(7x-6) is the duplicate ratio of 5:8,then find the value of x
a)6 b)7 c)10 d)none of these
20.The mean proportional between two numbers is 16 and their third proportional is 128.Find the
smaller of the two numbers
a)8 b)12 c)16 d)32
21.A bag contains 50 p,25 p and 10 p coins in the ratio 5:9:4,amounting to Rs 206.Find the
number of coins of each type
a)200,360,160 b)160,360,200 c)360,373,123 d)678,234,763
22.what is the ratio whose terms differ by 40 and the measure of which is 2/7?
a)16:56 b)14:56 c)15:56 d)16:72
23.A sum of Rs 53 is divided among A,B,C in such a way that A gets Rs 7 more than what B
gets
and B gets Rs 8 more than what C gets.The ratio of their shares is
a)16:9:18 b)25:18:10 c)18:25:10 d)15:8:30
24.A certain amount was divided between A and B in the ratio 4:3.If B's share was Rs 4800,the
total amount was
a)Rs 11,200 b)Rs 6,400 c)Rs 19,200 d)Rs 39,200
25.If 10% of x = 20% of y,then x:y is equal to
a)1:2 b)2:1 c)5:1 d)10:1
26.x varies inversely as square of y.Given that y=2 for x=1.The value of x for y=6 will be
equal to
a)3 b)9 c)1/3 d)1/9
27.The ratio of incomes of A and B is 5:4 and the ratio of their expenditures is 3:2.If at
the end of the year,each saves Rs 1600,then income of A is
a)Rs 3400 b)Rs 3600 c)Rs 4000 d)Rs 4400
28.Three containers have their volumes in the ratio 3:4:5.They are full of mixtures of milk
and water.The mixtures contain milk and water in the ratio of (4:1),(3:1) and (5:2) resp.
The contents of all these three containers are poured into a fourth container.The ratio
of milk and water in the fourth container is
a)4:1 b)151:48 c)157:53 d)5:2
29.In a school,10% of the boys are same in number as 1/4rth of the girls.What is the ratio of
boys to girls in that school?
a)3:2 b)5:2 c)2:1 d)4:3
30.The ratio of number of boys and girls in a school is 3:2.If 20% of the boys and 25% of the
girls are scholarship holders,what percentage of the students does not get the scholarship?
a)56 b)70 c)78 d)80
31.The sides of a triangle are in the ratio 1/2:1/3:1/4 and its perimeter is 104 cm.The length
of the longest side is
a)52 cm b)48 cm c)32cm d)26cm
32.which of the following ratios is greatest?
a)7:15 b)15:23 c)17:25 d)21:29
33.In a college the ratio of number of girls to boys is 8:5.If there are 160 girls,the total
number of students in the college is
a)100 b)250 c)260 d)416
34.The least whole number which when subracted from both the terms of the ratio 6:7 gives
a ratio less than 16:21 is
a)2 b)3 c)4 d)6
35.The speeds of three cars are in the ratio 5:4:6.The ratio between the time taken by them
to travel the same distance is
a)5:4:6 b)6:4:5 c)10:12:15 d)12:15:10
36.15 litres of mixture contains 20% alcohol and the rest water.If 3 litres of water be mixed
with it,the percentage of alcohol in the new mixture would be
a)15 b)16 2/3 c)17 d)none of these
37.20 litres of 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
a)2:1 b)7:3 c)8:3 d)4:3
38.85 kg of a mixture contains milk and water in the ratio 27:7.How much more water is to be
added to get a new mixture containing milk and water in the ratio 3:1?
a)5kg b)6.5kg c)7.25kg d)8kg
39.The ages of A and B are in the ratio 3:1.Fifteen years hence,the ratio will be 2:1.Their
present ages are
a)30,10 b)45,15 c)21,7 d)60,20
40.The average age of three boys is 25 years and their ages are in the proportion 3:5:7.The
age of the youngest boy is
a)21 b)18 c)15 d)9