PROPORTION - ANSWERS

1. The cost of Chanel T'Unnel perfume is directly proportional to the amount of perfume in the bottle. A bottle containing 50ml of perfume costs £20.00

a) Find a formula which connects the price and the volume of perfume.

b) Work out the cost of a 100ml bottle of perfume.

 

a) Let the cost = C and the volume = V:

C a V

Therefore C = a constant  x  V, we'll call this constant k,

Hence C = kV

From the question, 50ml of perfume costs £20, so we can subtitute this into the formula to find k:

C = kV

20 = 50k

hence k = 20/50 = 2/5

Hence the formula is:

C = 2/5V

b) To find the cost of 100ml, we simply use the equation again (now that we know what k is)

C = 2/5 x  100 = 200/5 = £40.00

 

2. The extension E of a spring is directly proportional to the force F pulling the spring. If a force of 15N is applied to the spring the extension is measured as 4cm.

What is the extension when the force is 12N ?

E a F

hence E = kF

When F = 15, E = 4

hence 4 = 15k

k = 4/15

E = 12 x  4/15 = 48/15 = 3.2cm

3.  The distance d travelled by a car is directly proportional to the square of the time t taken for the journey.

a) Deduce a formula for d in terms of t.

When t = 10 seconds d = 200 metres.

b) Calculate:

i) The distance travelled in 1 minute.

ii) The time taken when d = 3,000 metres.

 

a) d a t2

hence d = kt2

If d =200 when t = 10

200 = k(10)2

200 = 100k

k = 200/100 = 2

Substituting k = 2 we get the formula d = 2t2

i) If t = 1 minute this is 60 seconds (DON'T get caught out with sneaky changes to quantities like this)

Hence d = 2(60)2 = 2 x 3,600 = 7,200 metres

ii) 3,000 = 2t2

1,500 = t2

t = Ö 1,500 = 38.73 seconds (to 2 d.p.)

4.  The time taken to build a house is inversely proportional to the number of builders working on it. If 2 builders are working on the house it will take two months to complete.

How long will it take to complete the house if 5 builders are working on it?

Let number of builders = N and time taken = T,

T a 1/N

T = k/N

2 = k/2

Hence k = 4

With 5 builders T = 4/5, assuming a month = 30 days, the 5 builders will take just 24 days.

5. The variables m and n are related in such a way that n is directly proportional to the cube of m. Complete the table of values below:

m 0.5 3  
n   54 432

 

 

n a m3

Hence n = km3

When m = 3, n = 54, hence we can use these to find k:

k = 54/3 = 18

Hence n = 18m3, you can work the rest out from this formula.

m 0.5 3 6
n 0.25 54 432

6. q is directly proportional to the square root of p.
When p =81, q = 36.

a) Work out a formula involving p and q.

b) What is the value of q when p = 36?

 

 

a) q a Ö p

q = kÖp

36 = kÖ81

i.e. 36 = 9k hence k = 36/9 = 4

The formula is: q = 4Öp

b) q = 4Ö36

q = 4 x 6 = 24

7. A football kicked into the air to height h is directly proportional to square of the speed v at which it was kicked. If the ball is kicked at 20 metres per second, it will reach a height of 20 metres.

a) How high does the ball reach if it is kicked at 18 m/s ?

b) How high does the ball reach if it is kicked at 25 m/s ?

 

 

h a v2

hence h = kv2

20 = 400k

k = 1/20

Giving the formula h = 1/20v2

a) h = 1/20 (18)2 = 16.2m

b) h = 1/20 (25)2 = 31.25m

8. A lorry travels 350km in 2 hours 40 minutes. The distance it travels is directly proportional to the time taken. How far will the lorry travel in 4 hours?

 

It is often less confusing to reduce questions like this which give times in hours and minutes to minutes only, then you have a single quantity to deal with which is much easier.

2 hours 40 minutes = 60 + 60 + 40 minutes
= 160 minutes

d a t

hence d = kt

350 = 160k

k = 350/160 = 2.1875

The formula is: d = 2.1875t

4 hours = 4 x 60 minutes = 240 minutes

hence in 4 hours d = 2.1875 x 240 = 525km