Ratios Math Example 5

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Example 5

medium
A recipe uses flour and sugar in a 5:2 ratio. If you use 15 cups of flour, how much sugar do you need?

Solution

  1. 1
    The ratio flour:sugar is 5:25:2. This means for every 55 parts of flour, there are 22 parts of sugar.
  2. 2
    Find the scale factor: 155=3\frac{15}{5} = 3. The recipe has been scaled up by a factor of 33.
  3. 3
    Multiply the sugar portion by the same factor: 2×3=62 \times 3 = 6 cups of sugar.

Answer

6 cups of sugar6 \text{ cups of sugar}
In a ratio problem, find how many times the given quantity exceeds its ratio part, then apply the same multiplier to the unknown quantity. This keeps the ratio constant.

About Ratios

A ratio compares two or more quantities by showing how many times one contains the other, written as a:ba:b or ab\frac{a}{b}. Unlike fractions, ratios can compare parts to parts, not just parts to wholes.

Learn more about Ratios →

More Ratios Examples

Example 1 easy

A recipe calls for 3 cups of flour and 2 cups of sugar. What is the ratio of flour to sugar, and how

Example 2 medium

The ratio of boys to girls in a class is [formula]. If there are 40 students total, how many boys an

Example 3 easy

Simplify the ratio [formula].

Example 4 hard

A map uses the scale [formula]. Two towns are [formula] cm apart on the map. What is the actual dist

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