A ratio compares one amount with another: 2 cups of rice for every 3 cups of water is the ratio 2:3. Year 6 children simplify ratios, scale them up and use them to share fairly.
What your child will learn
- Write and simplify a ratio
- Scale a recipe up for more people
- Share an amount in a given ratio
Parts, not totals
To share 30 beads in the ratio 2:3, add the parts: 2 + 3 = 5 equal parts. One part is 30 ÷ 5 = 6 beads, so the shares are 2 × 6 = 12 and 3 × 6 = 18. Check: 12 + 18 = 30.
Example questions
Here are a few questions like the ones in the first quest. Can you solve them?
1. Simplify the ratio 9:12.
- 3:4
- 4:3
- 3:5
- 4:4
Show answer
Answer: 3:4. Divide both numbers by 3: 9 ÷ 3 = 3, 12 ÷ 3 = 4.
2. Simplify the ratio 18:30.
- 5:3
- 4:5
- 3:6
- 3:5
Show answer
Answer: 3:5. Divide both numbers by 6: 18 ÷ 6 = 3, 30 ÷ 6 = 5.
3. Simplify the ratio 8:24.
- 1:3
- 2:3
- 3:1
- 1:4
Show answer
Answer: 1:3. Divide both numbers by 8: 8 ÷ 8 = 1, 24 ÷ 8 = 3.
Tips for grown-ups
- Double or halve a real recipe together.
- Mix squash and water in different ratios and taste the difference.