What is a Ratio?

A ratio is a way to compare two or more quantities. It tells us how much of one thing there is compared to another. For example, if there are 2 apples and 3 oranges, we can say the ratio of apples to oranges is 2:3. This means for every 2 apples, there are 3 oranges.

Key Rules for Ratios

  1. Write it Simply: Ratios are written with a colon (:). For example, 2:3.
  2. Same Units: Make sure the items you are comparing are in the same units. If you’re comparing apples to oranges, that’s fine. But if you’re comparing apples to bags of apples, first ensure both are in the same context.
  3. Simplifying Ratios: Just like fractions, you can simplify ratios. For example, 4:8 can be simplified to 1:2 by dividing both sides by 4.
  4. Finding Ratios: To find the ratio, count the amount of each item you are comparing and write it down.

Tips and Tricks

  • Use Visuals: Drawing pictures or using blocks can help you see the ratio more clearly.
  • Practice with Real Life: Look around you! If you have 5 red candies and 10 blue candies, what is the ratio of red to blue?
  • Keep it Balanced: If you double one part of the ratio, remember to double the other part to keep it balanced.

Examples

  1. Example 1: If there are 3 cats and 2 dogs, the ratio of cats to dogs is 3:2.
  2. Example 2: If there are 8 boys and 4 girls in a class, the ratio of boys to girls is 8:4, which simplifies to 2:1.
  3. Example 3: In a fruit basket, there are 6 bananas and 3 apples. The ratio of bananas to apples is 6:3, which simplifies to 2:1.

Questions

Easy Level Questions

  1. What is the ratio of 2 cats to 3 dogs?
  2. If there are 4 apples and 2 oranges, what is the ratio?
  3. In a bag, there are 5 red marbles and 5 blue marbles. What is the ratio of red to blue?
  4. If there are 6 pencils and 3 pens, what is the ratio of pencils to pens?
  5. What is the ratio of 1 cat to 4 dogs?
  6. If you have 7 chocolates and 1 lollipop, what is the ratio?
  7. There are 10 chairs and 5 tables. What is the ratio of chairs to tables?
  8. What is the ratio of 8 books to 2 magazines?
  9. If there are 3 cars and 6 bikes, what is the ratio of cars to bikes?
  10. What is the ratio of 9 oranges to 3 apples?

Medium Level Questions

  1. If the ratio of boys to girls in a class is 5:3 and there are 15 boys, how many girls are there?
  2. The ratio of cats to dogs in a rescue centre is 4:1. If there are 12 cats, how many dogs are there?
  3. In a fruit salad, the ratio of bananas to strawberries is 3:2. If there are 9 bananas, how many strawberries are there?
  4. The ratio of red to green apples is 6:2. Simplify this ratio.
  5. If there are 10 pizzas and 5 salads, what is the ratio of pizzas to salads?
  6. A recipe calls for 2 cups of rice for every 3 cups of water. What is the ratio of rice to water?
  7. In a box of crayons, the ratio of blue crayons to yellow crayons is 3:1. If there are 12 blue crayons, how many yellow crayons are there?
  8. The ratio of oranges to bananas in a basket is 4:5. If there are 20 bananas, how many oranges are there?
  9. If the ratio of teachers to students in a school is 1:15 and there are 30 teachers, how many students are there?
  10. Simplify the ratio 10:25.

Hard Level Questions

  1. The ratio of boys to girls in a sports team is 7:5. If there are 30 players in total, how many are girls?
  2. The ratio of cats to dogs is 2:3. If there are 15 dogs, how many cats are there?
  3. In a fruit basket, the ratio of apples to pears is 5:2. If there are 25 apples, how many pears are there?
  4. A painter uses paint in the ratio of 3 parts blue to 2 parts yellow. If he uses 12 parts of paint in total, how much of each colour does he use?
  5. The ratio of red to blue cars in a parking lot is 4:7. If there are 28 blue cars, how many red cars are there?
  6. In a class, the ratio of boys to girls is 5:4. If there are 36 students, how many boys and girls are there?
  7. The ratio of pencils to erasers is 10:3. If there are 30 erasers, how many pencils are there?
  8. If the ratio of cats to rats is 3:4 and there are 21 rats, how many cats are there?
  9. The ratio of students to teachers in a school is 20:1. If there are 5 teachers, how many students are there?
  10. Simplify the ratio 16:24.

Answers

Easy Level Answers

  1. 2:3
  2. 2:1
  3. 1:1
  4. 2:1
  5. 1:4
  6. 7:1
  7. 10:5 or 2:1
  8. 4:1
  9. 1:2
  10. 3:1

Medium Level Answers

  1. 9 girls
  2. 3 dogs
  3. 6 strawberries
  4. 3:1
  5. 2:1
  6. 2:3
  7. 4 yellow crayons
  8. 16 oranges
  9. 450 students
  10. 2:5

Hard Level Answers

  1. 12 girls
  2. 10 cats
  3. 10 pears
  4. 8 parts blue and 4 parts yellow
  5. 16 red cars
  6. 20 boys and 16 girls
  7. 100 pencils
  8. 9 cats
  9. 100 students
  10. 2:3

By practicing these questions, you’ll become great at finding ratios! Keep up the hard work!