Finding the Unit Rate with Fractions

Front

What is a unit rate?

Back

A unit rate is a comparison of two different quantities when they are combined together. It is expressed as a quantity of one unit, such as miles per hour or price per item.

Front

How do you find the unit rate from a fraction?

Back

To find the unit rate from a fraction, divide the numerator by the denominator to express the fraction as a decimal, then determine how much of the quantity corresponds to one unit.

Front

If a painter uses 1 1/2 gallons of paint for 3/4 of a room, how do you calculate the total gallons needed for the whole room?

Back

Set up a proportion: (1 1/2 gallons) / (3/4 room) = x gallons / (1 room). Solve for x to find the total gallons needed.

Front

What is the formula to find how much of a resource is used over time?

Back

The formula is: Amount used = (Rate of use) x (Time). This helps determine how much can be consumed or produced in a given time.

Front

How do you convert a mixed number to an improper fraction?

Back

Multiply the whole number by the denominator, add the numerator, and place that result over the original denominator.

Front

If a dog eats 1/3 of a bag of food in 1/2 week, how do you find out how much it eats in 1 week?

Back

Double the amount eaten in 1/2 week: (1/3 bag) x (2) = 2/3 bag in 1 week.

Front

What is the relationship between time and distance in a rate problem?

Back

The relationship is often expressed as: Distance = Rate x Time. This means that to find one of these values, you can rearrange the formula.

Front

How do you find the amount of one ingredient needed based on another in a recipe?

Back

Set up a ratio based on the recipe's proportions and use cross-multiplication to find the unknown quantity.

Front

What does it mean to express an answer as a mixed number?

Back

A mixed number combines a whole number and a proper fraction, such as 3 3/5, which means 3 whole parts and 3/5 of another part.

Front

How do you solve for a variable in a proportion?

Back

Cross-multiply the known values and then divide to isolate the variable.