New
New
Year 10
Higher

Combining ratios

I can combine ratios.

New
New
Year 10
Higher

Combining ratios

I can combine ratios.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. There may be a relationship between quantities A and B and a relationship between quantities B and C
  2. Therefore there is a relationship between A and C
  3. If A : B and B : C then A : B : C and A : C
  4. When the common quantity is not the same in each ratio, equivalent ratios can be used
  5. For example, if A:B and 2B:5C then 2A:2B:5C and 2A:5C

Common misconception

Combining ratios without using equivalent ratios to equate the common part.

Pupils may need to spend extra time finding equivalent ratios and looking at when it is ok to combine ratios or not.

Keywords

  • Proportion - A part to whole (sometimes part to part) comparison. If two things are proportional then the ratio of part to whole is maintained and the multiplicative relationship between parts is also maintained.

  • Ratio - A ratio shows the relative sizes of 2 or more values and allows you to compare a part with another part in a whole.

  • LCM - LCM is an abbreviation for lowest common multiple.

  • Lowest common multiple - The lowest common multiple is the lowest number that is a multiple of two or more numbers.

Using objects or bar models to show the ratios can help pupils to visualise the concept better.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
LCM is an abbreviation for lowest common .
Correct Answer: multiple
Q2.
What is the ratio of hearts : smileys?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 5 : 3, 5:3
Q3.
What is the HCF of 24 and 18?
Correct Answer: 6, six
Q4.
What is the ratio of hearts : smileys? (Give your answer in its simplest form)
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 3 : 4, 3:4
Q5.
What is the LCM of 4 and 6?
Correct Answer: 12, twelve
Q6.
Match each ratio to an equivalent ratio.
Correct Answer:4 : 3,16 : 12

16 : 12

Correct Answer:7 : 6,14 : 12

14 : 12

Correct Answer:2 : 5,16 : 40

16 : 40

Correct Answer:3 : 8,12 : 32

12 : 32

Correct Answer:6 : 11,12 : 22

12 : 22

6 Questions

Q1.
What is LCM an abbreviation for?
Correct Answer: lowest common multiple
Q2.
Given these bar models, what is the ratio of hearts to suns?
An image in a quiz
Correct Answer: 5 : 2, 5:2
Q3.
Given that squares : circles = 4 : 3 and circles : triangles = 1 : 5, find the ratio of squares : triangles.
Correct Answer: 4 : 15, 4:15
Q4.
a : b = 2 : 5, b : c = 6 : 7. Find the ratio a : b : c
Correct Answer: 12 : 30 : 35, 12:30:35
Q5.
A box contains 212 sweets which are either hearts (h), stars (s) or bottles (b). The ratio of hearts to stars is 5 : 3. The ratio of stars to bottles is 4 : 7. How many stars are in the box?
Correct Answer: 48, forty-eight, forty eight
Q6.
b = 4a, c = 5b, find the ratio of a : c
Correct Answer: 1 : 20, 1:20