GCSE Mathematics (9-1)

5.1 Ratio notation, simplifying and sharing — Practise with help

Try each question first. Open a hint if you are stuck, the next step for one concrete move, and the full working only to check.

Warm-up: remember

Answer these from memory. Do not look back at the section.

  1. Simplify 1218\frac{12}{18}.
  2. Work out −6+15-6+15.
Check the warm-up
  1. 1218=23\frac{12}{18}=\frac{2}{3}.
  2. −6+15=9-6+15=9.

If an answer differs, revisit Section 4.1 for simplifying fractions and Section 1.3 for working with negative numbers.

Practise with help

1. Simplify the ratio 18:2418:24.

Hint

Find a number that divides both parts exactly.

Next step

Both parts divide by 6.

Full working

18:2418:24 divides by 6 to give 3:43:4. Check that 18÷24=3÷418\div24=3\div4.

2. Share £84 in the ratio 4:34:3.

Hint

Add the ratio parts to find the number of equal parts.

Next step

4+3=74+3=7 parts, so one part is 84÷7=1284\div7=12.

Full working

The shares are 4×12=484\times12=48 and 3×12=363\times12=36. Check: 48+36=8448+36=84.

3. A recipe mixes flour and sugar in the ratio 5:25:2. A baker uses 250 g of sugar. How much flour is needed?

Hint

The 2 parts stand for 250 g. Find the value of one part first.

Next step

One part is 250÷2=125250\div2=125 g. Flour is 5 parts.

Full working

Flour is 5×125=6255\times125=625 g. Check: 625:250=5:2625:250=5:2.

4. Earlier learning. In a class of 30 pupils, 12 walk and the rest take the bus. What fraction of the class take the bus?

Hint

The fraction is the bus pupils over the total. Find the bus number first.

Next step

30−12=1830-12=18 pupils take the bus.

Full working

1830=35\frac{18}{30}=\frac{3}{5} of the class take the bus.

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