Lesson 18

SOLVING PROPORTIONS
This Lesson follows from Lesson 17. Here, we will see how to solve
any proportion.

What is taught in most textbooks these days as ratio and

proportion, is not. It is algebra. The student is taught to
represent a ratio as a fraction, write the letter x for the
unknown term, cross-multiply and solve an equation. That
is an algebraic calculator.

A ratio requires understanding. It has meaning and is not

merely symbolic. Because of that, the topic of ratio and
proportion is educational.

1. In a proportion --

1st : 2nd = 3rd : 4th

-- which are the corresponding terms?

The 1st and 3rd terms, the 2nd and the 4th.

1 : 2 = 5 : 10
1 is called the first term of the proportion, 2 is the second term, 5 is the third,
and 10, the fourth.
We say that 5 corresponds to 1, and 10 corresponds to 2.

2. What is the theorem of the alternate proportion?

"If four numbers are proportional, then the

corresponding terms are also proportional."

If
1st : 2nd = 3rd : 4th
then alternately,

1st : 3rd = 2nd : 4th

(Euclid, VII. 13.)

Example 1. 1 : 2 = 5 : 10.

1
 (1 is half of 2; 5 is half of 10.)
Alternately:
1 : 5 = 2 : 10
(1 is a fifth of 5; 2 is a fifth of 10.)
Example 2.
Directly :
12 : 36 = 2 : 6. (Why?)
Alternately:
12 : 2 = 36 = 6. (Why?)
Example 3. Complete this proportion:
5 : 7 = 20 : ?
If we look directly at the ratio of 5 to 7, it is not obvious. But if we look
alternately, we see that 5 is a fourth of 20:
5 : 7 = 20 : 28.
And 7 is a fourth of 28.
If we cannot solve a proportion directly, then we can solve it alternately.
Example 4. The theorem of the same multiple. Complete this proportion:
4 : 5 = 12 : ?
Solution. 4 is a third of 12 -- or we could say that 4 has
been multiplied by 3. Therefore, 5 also must be multiplied by 3:
4 : 5 = 12 : 15.

As 4 is to 5, so three 4's are to three 5's.

In fact, as 4 is to 5, so any number of 4's are to an equal number of 5's.
That is called the theorem of the same multiple. It follows directly from
the theorem of the alternate proportion.

3. What is the theorem of the same multiple?

"If we multiply two numbers by the same number, then the

products will have the same ratio
as the numbers we multiplied."

(Euclid, VII. 17.)

2
 We have already seen that a ratio will be preserved if we divide both terms by
the same number.
Example 5. Complete this proportion:
6 : 7 = ? : 28
Solution. 7 has been multiplied by 4 to give 28. Therefore, 6 also must be
multiplied by 4:
6 : 7 = 24 : 28.
To solve that proportion --
6 : 7 = ? : 28
-- we could say:
"7 goes into 28 four times. Four times 6 is 24."
All the Examples and Problems in this lesson should be simple, mental
calculations.
Example 6. Solve this proportion:
2 : 3 = 12 : ?
Solution. "2 goes into 12 six times. Six times 3 is 18."
2 : 3 = 12 : 18.
In fact, consider these columns of the multiples of 2 and 3:
2 3
4 6
6 9
8 12
10 15
12 18
14 21
And so on.
Now, 2 is two thirds of 3. (Lesson 17.) And each multiple of 2 is two thirds
of that same multiple of 3:
4 is two thirds of 6.
6 is two thirds of 9.
8 is two thirds of 12.
And so on. In fact, those are the only natural numbers where the first will be two
thirds of the second.
Note that each pair have a common divisor. And
upon dividing by that divisor, the quotients in
every case are 2 and 3. That is the theorem of the
common divisor. 2 and 3 are the lowest terms.
They are the smallest numbers which have the
ratio "two thirds."

3
Example 7. Name three pairs of numbers such that the first is three fifths of the
second.
Solution. The elementary pair are 3 and 5. To generate others, take the same
multiple of both: 6 and 10, 9 and 15, 12 and 20, and so on.
Example 8. 27 is three fourths of what number?
Solution. Proportionally:
3 : 4 = 27 : ?
"3 goes into 27 nine times. Nine times 4 is 36."
3 : 4 = 27 : 36.
27 is three fourths of 36.
Only a multiple of 3 can be three fourths of another number, which must be
that same multiple of 4.
As 3 is to 4, so any number of 3's are to an equal number of 4's.
Example 9. Solve this proportion:
9 : 45 = 2 : ?
Solution. Here, we must look directly:
9 is a fifth of 45. And 2 is a fifth of 10.
9 : 45 = 2 : 10.
Example 10. Common divisor. Complete this proportion:
12 : 200 = ? : 100.
Solution. Alternately, we see that 200 has been divided by 2. Therefore 12 also must
be divided by 2.
12 : 200 = 6 : 100.
Instead of dividing 12 and 200 by 2, we could take half. Half of 200 is 100.
Half of 12 is 6.
We see that if we know three terms of a proportion, then we can always solve
for the fourth. That is called The Rule of Three. We can summarize it as follows.
1st : 2nd = 3rd : 4th.
If the 4th term is unknown, and the 3rd term is a multiple
or part of the 1st (Example 6),
then the 4th must be that same multiple or part of the 2nd.
(Similarly, if the 3rd term is unknown, and the 4th
is a multiple of the 2nd; Example 5)

If the 4th term is unknown, and the 2nd term is a multiple

or a part of the 1st (Example 9),
then the 4th must be that same multiple or part of the 3rd.
4
 We will apply this rule to find what percent one number is of another.

As for the theorem of the common divisor, it is

what we call the symmetrical version of
the theorem of the same multiple. For, this
proportion,
6 is to 100 as 12 is to 200,
in which the 3rd and 4th terms appear as doubles
of the 1st and 2nd, is logically equivalent to this
proportion,
12 is to 200 as 6 is to 100,
in which the 3rd and 4th terms appear as halves
of the 1st and 2nd.
Example 11. In a class, the ratio of girls to boys is 3 to 4.

There are 24 boys. How many girls are there?

Solution. Proportionally,
Girls : Boys = 3 : 4 = ? : 24.
Note that 24 corresponds to the Boys.
Now, 4 goes into 24 six times. Therefore, the number of girls is six times
3: 18.
This is another way to approach Example 7 of the previous Lesson. And the
following example is another way to approach Example 8 of that Lesson.
Example 12. The whole is equal to the sum of the parts. In a class, the
number of girls is 75% of the number of boys. There are 35 students. How many
girls are there and how many boys?
Solution. To say that the girls are 75% -- three quarters -- of the boys,

is to say that the ratio of girls to boys is 3 to 4. But that means that 3 out of
every 7 students are girls (3 + 4 = 7), and 4 out of every 7 are boys.
Therefore, form the proportion:
Girls : Total number of students = 3 : 7 = ? : 35.
Since 35 is 5 7, the missing term is 5 3 = 15.
There are 15 girls. And so there are 20 boys.

5
 RATIO AND PROPORTION 2
PROBLEMS

11. a) In this proportion --

10 : 30 = 2 : 6.
1. a) -- which are the corresponding terms? 10 and 2; 30 and 6.
1. b) State the alternate proportion.
"10 is to 2 as 30 is to 6?"

12. Read each proportion, then read the alternate proportion.

a) 2 : 8 = 6 : 24.
"2 is to 8 as 6 is to 24. Alternately, 2 is to 6 as 8 is to 24."

b) 12 : 4 = 36 : 12.
"12 is to 4 as 36 is to 12. Alternately, 12 is to 36 as 4 is to 12."

c) 2 : 3 = 10 : 15.
"2 is to 3 as 10 is to 15. Alternately, 2 is to 10 as 3 is to 15."

13. Common divisor. Complete each proportion.

a) 6 : 8 = 3 : 4. b) 12 : 18 = 2 : 3. c) 16 : 40 = 2 : 5.

d) 12 : 200 = 6 : 100. e) 45 : 500 = 9 : 100.

f) 350 : 000 = 35 : 100.

g) 24 : 75 = 8 : 25. h) 35 : 40 = 7 : 8. i) 21 : 63 = 3 : 9.

14. Same multiple

4. a) If two numbers are multiplied or divided by the same number,
4. a) then the products will have the same ratio.
4. b) Write five pairs of numbers such that the first is three eighths
4. b) of the second.
The elementary pair are 3 and 8. Now take the same multiple of each
one. For example: 6 and 16, 9 and 24, 12 and 32, 15 and 40.

15. Complete each proportion.

a) 4 : 9 = 8 : 18. b) 4 : 9 = 12 : 27. c) 4 : 9 = 16 : 36.

d) 7 : 8 = 21 : 24. e) 9 : 5 = 63 : 35. f) 3 : 8 = 15 : 40.

6
 g) 2 : 9 = 16 : 72. h) 6 : 5 = 54 : 45. i) 8 : 3 = 56 : 21.

j) 7 : 8 = 42 : 48. k) 3 : 4 = 15 : 20. l) 11 : 2 = 99 : 18.

16. 5 : 20 = 8 : 32.

17. In a class, the ratio of boys to girls was 4 to 5. There were 20 boys.
17. How many girls were there? 25

18. In a survey, the ratio of Yes's to No's was 2 to 3. There were 300
18. Yes's. How many No's were there? 450

19. The ratio of white roses to red was 3 to 4. There were 32 red roses.
19. How many white roses were there? 24

10. The ratio of white roses to red was 3 to 4. Out of 28 roses, how
10 .many were white?
12. For, 3 out of every 7 roses -- 3 white + 4 red -- were white. 3 is to 7,
then, as what number is to 28? Since 28 is four times 7, the missing
number is four times 3. There were 12 white roses.

11. In a survey, the ratio of Yes's to No's was 2 to 3. Out of 100

11. responses, how many were Yes and how many No?
40 Yes and 60 No. For, the Yes's were 2 out of 5, and the No's, 3 out of
5. And 2 is to 5 as 40 is to 100; that is, as 20 2 is to 20 5. 3 is to 5 as
20 3 is to 20 5.

7
 RATIO AND PROPORTION 2
ANSWERS

11. a) In this proportion --

10 : 30 = 2 : 6.
1. a) -- which are the corresponding terms? 10 and 2; 30 and 6.
1. b) State the alternate proportion.
"10 is to 2 as 30 is to 6?"

12. Read each proportion, then read the alternate proportion.

a) 2 : 8 = 6 : 24.
"2 is to 8 as 6 is to 24. Alternately, 2 is to 6 as 8 is to 24."

b) 12 : 4 = 36 : 12.
"12 is to 4 as 36 is to 12. Alternately, 12 is to 36 as 4 is to 12."

c) 2 : 3 = 10 : 15.
"2 is to 3 as 10 is to 15. Alternately, 2 is to 10 as 3 is to 15."

13. Common divisor. Complete each proportion.

a) 6 : 8 = 3 : 4. b) 12 : 18 = 2 : 3. c) 16 : 40 = 2 : 5.

d) 12 : 200 = 6 : 100. e) 45 : 500 = 9 : 100.

f) 350 : 000 = 35 : 100.

g) 24 : 75 = 8 : 25. h) 35 : 40 = 7 : 8. i) 21 : 63 = 3 : 9.

14. Same multiple

4. a) If two numbers are multiplied or divided by the same number,
4. a) then the products will have the same ratio.
4. b) Write five pairs of numbers such that the first is three eighths
4. b) of the second.
The elementary pair are 3 and 8. Now take the same multiple of each
one. For example: 6 and 16, 9 and 24, 12 and 32, 15 and 40.

15. Complete each proportion.

a) 4 : 9 = 8 : 18. b) 4 : 9 = 12 : 27. c) 4 : 9 = 16 : 36.

d) 7 : 8 = 21 : 24. e) 9 : 5 = 63 : 35. f) 3 : 8 = 15 : 40.

8
 g) 2 : 9 = 16 : 72. h) 6 : 5 = 54 : 45. i) 8 : 3 = 56 : 21.

j) 7 : 8 = 42 : 48. k) 3 : 4 = 15 : 20. l) 11 : 2 = 99 : 18.

16. 5 : 20 = 8 : 32.

17. In a class, the ratio of boys to girls was 4 to 5. There were 20 boys.
17. How many girls were there? 25

18. In a survey, the ratio of Yes's to No's was 2 to 3. There were 300
18. Yes's. How many No's were there? 450

19. The ratio of white roses to red was 3 to 4. There were 32 red roses.
19. How many white roses were there? 24

10. The ratio of white roses to red was 3 to 4. Out of 28 roses, how
10 .many were white?
12. For, 3 out of every 7 roses -- 3 white + 4 red -- were white. 3 is to
7, then, as what number is to 28? Since 28 is four times 7, the missing
number is four times 3. There were 12 white roses.

11. In a survey, the ratio of Yes's to No's was 2 to 3. Out of 100

11. responses, how many were Yes and how many No?
40 Yes and 60 No. For, the Yes's were 2 out of 5, and the No's, 3 out of
5. And 2 is to 5 as 40 is to 100; that is, as 20 2 is to 20 5. 3 is to 5 as
20 3 is to 20 5.