How Do You Set Up a Proportion from a Word Problem?

How Do You Set Up a Proportion from a Word Problem?

Note:

Sometimes the hardest part of a word problem is figuring out how to turn the words into an equation you can solve. This tutorial let's you see the steps to take in order to turn a word problem involving a blueprint into a proportion. Take a look!

Keywords:

  • problem
  • word problem
  • word
  • translate
  • translate words to algebra
  • proportion
  • ratio
  • fraction
  • set up
  • write proportion

Background Tutorials

  • Understand the concept of a ratio and use ratio language to describe a ratio relationship between two quantities.

      • What's a Ratio?What's a Ratio?

      What's a Ratio?

      Ratios are everywhere! The scale on a map or blueprint is a ratio. Ingredients sometimes need to be mixed using ratios such as the ratio of water to cement mix when making cement. Watch this tutorial to learn about ratios. Then think of some ratios you've encountered before!

  • Evaluate expressions at specific values of their variables. Include expressions that arise from formulas used in real-world problems. Perform arithmetic operations, including those involving whole-number exponents, in the conventional order when there are no parentheses to specify a particular order (Order of Operations).

      • What is a Variable?What is a Variable?

      What is a Variable?

      You can't do algebra without working with variables, but variables can be confusing. If you've ever wondered what variables are, then this tutorial is for you!

  • Decide whether two quantities are in a proportional relationship, e.g., by testing for equivalent ratios in a table or graphing on a coordinate plane and observing whether the graph is a straight line through the origin.

      • What's a Proportion?What's a Proportion?

      What's a Proportion?

      The idea of proportions is that a ratio can be written in many ways and still be equal to the same value. That's why proportions are actually equations with equal ratios. This is a bit of a tricky definition, so make sure to watch the tutorial!

Further Exploration

  • Find a percent of a quantity as a rate per 100 (e.g., 30% of a quantity means 30/100 times the quantity); solve problems involving finding the whole, given a part and the percent.

      • How Do You Solve a Word Problem Using a Percent Proportion?How Do You Solve a Word Problem Using a Percent Proportion?

      How Do You Solve a Word Problem Using a Percent Proportion?

      Word problems allow you to see the real world uses of math! This tutorial shows you how to take a words problem and turn it into a percent proportion. Then see how to solve for the answer using the mean extremes property of proportions. Take a look!

      • How Do You Set Up a Percent Proportion from a Word Problem?How Do You Set Up a Percent Proportion from a Word Problem?

      How Do You Set Up a Percent Proportion from a Word Problem?

      Sometimes the hardest part of a word problem is figuring out how to turn the words into an equation you can solve. This tutorial let's you see the steps to take in order to do just that! Take a look! You'll be glad you did!

  • Use proportional relationships to solve multistep ratio and percent problems.

      • How Do You Solve a Word Problem Using a Proportion?How Do You Solve a Word Problem Using a Proportion?

      How Do You Solve a Word Problem Using a Proportion?

      This tutorial provides a great real world application of math. You'll see how to use the scale from a blueprint of a house to help find the actual height of the house. This tutorial shows you how to use a proportion to solve!