🚀 Middle School
| IGCSE • Mathematics

Ratio and Proportion

Equivalent ratios.

1 Lesson 1 MCQ 1 Mnemonic
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Lesson

Ratio and Proportion — Lesson

1) Hook — A Fun Real-Life Story to Grab Attention

Imagine you are at a cricket match watching your favourite team, India, play against Australia. The coach wants to prepare a special energy drink for the players during the break. The recipe says to mix water and lemon juice in the ratio 3 : 1. If the coach uses 6 cups of water, how much lemon juice should he add to keep the taste perfect? This is where Ratio and Proportion come into play!

2) Core Concepts — Clear Explanation with Examples and Visual Tables

What is a Ratio?

A ratio compares two or more quantities showing how much of one thing there is compared to another. It is written with a colon : or as a fraction.

Example: If there are 8 mangoes and 4 bananas in a basket, the ratio of mangoes to bananas is 8 : 4, which can be simplified to 2 : 1.

Quantity Number Ratio
Mangoes 8 8
Bananas 4 4

Ratio of mangoes to bananas = 8 : 4 = 2 : 1

What is Proportion?

A proportion states that two ratios are equal. It helps us find an unknown quantity when two ratios are in balance.

Example: If the ratio of sugar to flour in a cake recipe is 2 : 5, and you use 4 cups of sugar, how much flour do you need?

Sugar (cups) Flour (cups)
2 5
4 x

Since the ratios are equal, we write the proportion:

2 / 5 = 4 / x

Cross multiply:

2 × x = 5 × 4

2x = 20

x = 20 ÷ 2 = 10

Answer: You need 10 cups of flour.

3) Key Formulas/Rules

Ratio: Ratio of A to B = A : B or A/B

Proportion: Two ratios are equal if
A/B = C/D

Cross Multiplication Rule: In proportion A/B = C/D, then A × D = B × C

4) Did You Know?

In Bollywood, the legendary singer Kishore Kumar once mentioned that the perfect mix of ingredients in a recipe is like a perfect ratio — just like a perfect blend of music and lyrics that creates magic! Ratios are everywhere — in cooking, music, sports, and even in your daily life.

5) Exam Tips — Common Mistakes and Board Exam Patterns

  • Always simplify ratios before solving problems to avoid confusion.
  • Remember to cross multiply carefully when solving proportions; missing a step leads to wrong answers.
  • Check units — if quantities are in different units, convert them first.
  • Board exams often ask to find an unknown in a proportion or simplify ratios — practice these types of questions.
  • Watch out for questions where the ratio is given in words, like "twice as much" or "half as many" — translate them into numbers carefully.
2
MCQ Practice

Ratio and Proportion — Mcq

3
Memory Trick

Ratio and Proportion — Mnemonic

Mnemonic 1: "RATIO" - Remembering the Basics

  • Remember the order 📊
  • Always compare parts 🧩
  • Two quantities side by side ↔️
  • In simplest form always 🔢
  • Order matters, no mix-up! 🔄

Think: RATIO = Right Arrangement Tells Incredible Order! 🎯

Mnemonic 2: "Proportion Ka Cricket Match" 🏏

Imagine two cricket teams playing a match where the runs scored are in proportion to the balls faced.

  • Team A: Runs = 60, Balls = 30 (Ratio 60:30 = 2:1)
  • Team B: Runs = 40, Balls = 20 (Ratio 40:20 = 2:1)

Proportion Rule: If Runs₁ / Balls₁ = Runs₂ / Balls₂, then the teams are equally efficient! 🎉

Hindi rhyme to remember:
"Runs aur balls ka hisaab, proportion mein hai kamaal!" 🏆

Mnemonic 3: "Biryani Proportion Trick" 🍛

When making biryani for 4 people, you use 2 cups of rice and 1 cup of meat (Ratio 2:1). For 8 people, how much rice and meat?

  • Double the ingredients to keep the proportion same!
  • Rice : Meat = 2 : 1 always.

Remember this Hindi phrase:
"Biryani mein anupaat, badhao sab kuch saath!" 🍽️

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