Maths
MathsRatio and proportion25 min★★ difficulty

Direct proportion and best value

If two quantities double together, they are in direct proportion. That single idea handles recipes, currency, fuel and every 'best value' shelf label in a supermarket.

Part of your national curriculum
  • Ratio, proportion and rates of change: Solve problems involving direct and inverse proportion, including graphical and algebraic representations
  • Ratio, proportion and rates of change: Use compound units such as speed, unit pricing and density to solve problems

Lesson overview

What you'll learn in this lesson

Solve problems involving direct proportion

Key learning points

  • The unitary method
  • Comparing deals

This lesson at a glance

  • 25 minutes
  • 13 parts to scroll through
  • 3 quick checks
  • Marked quiz at the end
  • Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses

Words to know

problemsinvolvingdirectproportionunitary

Scroll down — the lesson carries on below

Part 1 of 13 · Discover8%
1

Watch & discover

Part 1 of 13

Direct proportion and best value illustrationVisual introduction

Picture this

Direct proportion and best value

If two quantities double together, they are in direct proportion. That single idea handles recipes, currency, fuel and every 'best value' shelf label in a supermarket.

In a nutshell

Solve problems involving direct proportion

2

Explore the idea

Part 2 of 13

Learn

The unitary method

Find the value of one, then multiply. If 6 kg of feed costs £9, one kilogram costs £1.50, so 11 kg costs £16.50.

3

Explore the idea

Part 3 of 13

Learn

Comparing deals

Best value means the lowest cost per unit, not the lowest price. Convert both offers to the same unit before you judge.

4

Reset break

Part 4 of 13

Pause

That's sitting 1 of 3 done

Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.

Stop here for now
5

Explore the idea

Part 5 of 13

Worked example

Worked example

A zoo feeds 15 penguins 9 kg of fish a day. For 25 penguins: 9 ÷ 15 = 0.6 kg each, 0.6 × 25 = 15 kg a day.

6

Quick check

Part 6 of 13

Quick check

If 4 tickets cost £26, 6 tickets cost…

7

Quick check

Part 7 of 13

Quick check

Direct proportion means…

8

Reset break

Part 8 of 13

Pause

That's sitting 2 of 3 done

Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.

Stop here for now
9

Quick check

Part 9 of 13

Quick check

500 g for £2.20 or 800 g for £3.36 — better value?

10

Challenge round

Part 10 of 13

Game · Sort it

Which of these are true?

Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.

True

Not true

11

Challenge round

Part 11 of 13

Game · Recall cards

5 items cost £12.50. What do 8 cost?

Card 1 of 4

12

Mastery quiz

Part 12 of 13

Marked quiz

End of lesson quiz: Direct proportion and best value

4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.

  1. 1. 5 items cost £12.50. What do 8 cost?

  2. 2. A graph of a proportional relationship must…

  3. 3. A tracker records 18 km in 3 hours. At the same rate, how far in 7 hours?

  4. 4. If 4 tickets cost £26, 6 tickets cost…

13

Lesson round-up

Part 13 of 13

Lesson round-up

Ready when you are

Quiz score

Not sat

Games

Not played

Points this lesson

0

Best run

0 in a row

Luna: 0 out of 3 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?

Ask Luna

Part 1 of 13 · Watch & discover

How this is going

  • Not looked at yet

    Solve problems involving direct and inverse proportion, including graphical and algebraic representations

  • Not looked at yet

    Use compound units such as speed, unit pricing and density to solve problems

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