Direct and Inverse Proportion – Problem Solving

Bronze
1. The cost of 1 apple is 30p. Work out the cost of 7 apples, giving your answer in pounds.

2. Ben wants to change £300 into dollars. The exchange rate is £1 = $1.30. Work out how
many dollars Ben will receive.

3. A car uses petrol at a rate of 50 miles per gallon. If Jonny fills his tank with 8 gallons, how
many miles will he be able to travel? State any assumptions you make.

4. The recipe shows the amount of each ingredient required to make 1 sponge cake.
Complete the table showing the amounts required to make 5 cakes

Ingredients for 1 cake Ingredients for 5 cakes

200g caster sugar

g caster sugar

180g softened butter

g softened butter

4 eggs
eggs

230g self-raising flour

g self-raising flour

2tbsp milk
tbsp milk

5. It takes 1 person 8 hours to paint a wall. Work out how long it would take 4 people to paint
the same wall, assuming each person paints at the same rate.

6. A cow is grazing in a field. It would take the cow 40 days to eat all of the grass. How many
days would it take for 8 cows to eat the same amount of grass, assuming each cow eats at
the same rate?

7. It takes Alexa 6 hours to complete her homework. How long would it take if she asked two
of her friends to help, assuming her friends work at the same rate?

8. A car takes 4 hours to travel from London to Birmingham at a speed of 30 miles per hour.
How long would it take if the car travelled at 60 miles per hour?

Silver
9. The cost of 4 oranges is £1. Work out the cost of 6 oranges, giving your answer in pounds.

10. B
en wants to change $65 into pounds. The exchange rate is £1 = $1.30. Work out how
many pounds Ben will receive.

11. A car uses petrol at a rate of 45 miles per gallon. A gallon of petrol costs £5. If Samina
needs to travel 225 miles, work out the total cost of the petrol she will need. State any
assumptions you make.

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 Direct and Inverse Proportion – Problem Solving
12. The recipe shows the amount of each ingredient required to make 6
cupcakes. Complete the table showing the amounts required to make 8 cakes.

Ingredients for 6 cakes Ingredients for 8 cakes

120g caster sugar

g caster sugar

180g softened butter

g softened butter

3 eggs
eggs

240g self-raising flour

g self-raising flour
13. I t takes 2 people 8 hours to paint a wall. Work out how long it would take 5 people to paint
the same wall, assuming each person paints at the same rate.

14. 10 sheep are grazing in a field. It would take the sheep 50 days to eat all of the grass. How
many days would it take for 8 sheep to eat the same amount of grass, assuming each
sheep eats at the same rate?

15. I t takes Alexa and her friend 6 hours to complete a project. How long would it take if Alexa
asked 4 more of her friends to help, assuming her friends work at the same rate?

16. A
car takes 4 hours to travel from London to Birmingham at a speed of 30 miles per hour.
How long would it take if the car travelled at 50 miles per hour?

Gold
17. In a shop, the cost of 7 oranges is usually £1.96. Today, the shop is advertising 3 oranges
for the price of 2. Work out the cost of 6 oranges using this offer, giving your answer in
pounds.

18. Ben is going on holiday to America. When he changes £600 into dollars, the exchange rate
is £1 = $1.30. In America, he spends $410. On his return, he changes the rest into pounds
at an exchange rate of £1 = $1.24. Work out how many pounds Ben will receive, giving your
answer to the nearest penny.

19. A
car uses petrol at a rate of 36 miles per gallon. A litre of petrol costs £1.30 and 1 gallon is
equal to 4.5 litres. Ben wants to travel 162 miles. Work out the cost of petrol he will need,
rounding your answer to the nearest penny.

20. The recipe shows the amount of each ingredient required to make 12 and 7 cupcakes. Fill
in the missing gaps.

Ingredients for 12 cakes Ingredients for 7 cakes

198g caster sugar

g caster sugar

90g softened butter

g softened butter

6 eggs
eggs

350g self-raising flour

g self-raising flour

38.5g icing sugar

g icing sugar
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 Direct and Inverse Proportion – Problem Solving
21. It takes 3 people 8 hours to paint 2 walls. Work out how long it would take 5 people to paint
4 walls of the same size, assuming each person paints at the same rate.

22. 10 sheep are grazing in a field. It would take the sheep 50 days to eat all of the grass. How
many days would it take for 7 sheep to eat half the amount of grass, assuming each sheep
eats at the same rate? Give your answer correct to one decimal place.

23. I t takes Alexa and her friend 6 hours to complete a project. How long would it take to
complete 3 projects if Alexa asked 3 more of her friends to help, assuming her friends work
at the same rate?

he table shows sets of values, x and y. Given that y is directly proportional to x, complete
24. T
the table.

x 0 2 4 10

y 6

25. The table shows sets of values, x and y. Given that y is directly proportional to x, complete
the table.

x 2.5 7

y 6 26.4

he table shows sets of values, x and y. Given that y is inversely proportional to x, complete
26. T
the table.

x 24 4

y 2 4

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Direct and Inverse Proportion – Problem Solving Answers
Bronze
1. The cost of 1 apple is 30p. Work out the cost of 7 apples, giving your answer in pounds.

7 × 30 = 210p or £2.10
2. Ben wants to change £300 into dollars. The exchange rate is £1 = $1.30. Work out how
many dollars Ben will receive.

300 × 1.30 = $390

3. A car uses petrol at a rate of 50 miles per gallon. If Jonny fills his tank with 8 gallons, how
many miles will he be able to travel? State any assumptions you make.

8 × 50 = 400 miles, assuming the rate at which petrol is used remains constant.

4. The recipe shows the amount of each ingredient required to make 1 sponge cake.
Complete the table showing the amounts required to make 5 cakes

Ingredients for 1 cake Ingredients for 5 cakes

200g caster sugar 1000g caster sugar

180g softened butter 900g softened butter

4 eggs 20 eggs

230g self-raising flour 1150g self-raising flour

2tbsp milk 10tbsp milk

5. It takes 1 person 8 hours to paint a wall. Work out how long it would take 4 people to paint
the same wall, assuming each person paints at the same rate.

8 ÷ 4 = 2 hours
6. A cow is grazing in a field. It would take the cow 40 days to eat all of the grass. How many
days would it take for 8 cows to eat the same amount of grass, assuming each cow eats at
the same rate?

40 ÷ 8 = 5 days
7. It takes Alexa 6 hours to complete her homework. How long would it take if she asked two
of her friends to help, assuming her friends work at the same rate?

6 ÷ 3 = 2 hours
8. A car takes 4 hours to travel from London to Birmingham at a speed of 30 miles per hour.
How long would it take if the car travelled at 60 miles per hour?

4 ÷ 2 = 2 hours

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 Direct and Inverse Proportion – Problem Solving Answers
Silver
9. The cost of 4 oranges is £1. Work out the cost of 6 oranges, giving your answer in pounds.

1 ÷ 4 = 25p

25 × 6 = £1.50 (or similar method)

10. B
en wants to change $65 into pounds. The exchange rate is £1 = $1.30. Work out how
many pounds Ben will receive.

65 ÷ 1.30 = £50
11. A car uses petrol at a rate of 45 miles per gallon. A gallon of petrol costs £5. If Samina
needs to travel 225 miles, work out the total cost of the petrol she will need. State any
assumptions you make.

225 ÷ 45 = 5 gallons

5 × 5 = £25, assuming the rate at which petrol is used remains constant.

12. The recipe shows the amount of each ingredient required to make 6
cupcakes. Complete the table showing the amounts required to make 8 cakes.

Ingredients for 6 cakes Ingredients for 8 cakes

120g caster sugar 160g caster sugar

180g softened butter 240g softened butter

3 eggs 4 eggs

240g self-raising flour 320g self-raising flour

13. I t takes 2 people 8 hours to paint a wall. Work out how long it would take 5 people to paint
the same wall, assuming each person paints at the same rate.

8 × 2 = 16

16 ÷ 5 = 3.2 hours or 3 hours 12 minutes

14. 10 sheep are grazing in a field. It would take the sheep 50 days to eat all of the grass. How
many days would it take for 8 sheep to eat the same amount of grass, assuming each
sheep eats at the same rate?

50 × 10 = 500

500 ÷ 8 = 62.5 days

15. I t takes Alexa and her friend 6 hours to complete a project. How long would it take if Alexa
asked 4 more of her friends to help, assuming her friends work at the same rate?

6 × 2 = 12

12 ÷ 6 = 2 hours
16. A
car takes 4 hours to travel from London to Birmingham at a speed of 30 miles per hour.
How long would it take if the car travelled at 50 miles per hour?

4 × 30 = 120 miles

120 ÷ 50 = 2.4 hours or 2 hours 24 minutes

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 Direct and Inverse Proportion – Problem Solving Answers
Gold
17. In a shop, the cost of 7 oranges is usually £1.96. Today, the shop is advertising 3 oranges
for the price of 2. Work out the cost of 6 oranges using this offer, giving your answer in
pounds.

1.96 ÷ 7 = 28p

Buy 4 oranges, receive 2 free.

0.28 × 4 = £1.12
18. Ben is going on holiday to America. When he changes £600 into dollars, the exchange rate
is £1 = $1.30. In America, he spends $410. On his return, he changes the rest into pounds
at an exchange rate of £1 = $1.24. Work out how many pounds Ben will receive, giving your
answer to the nearest penny.

600 × 1.30 = $780

780 – 410 = $370

370 ÷ 1.24 = 298.3870…

Ben receives £298.39.

19. A
car uses petrol at a rate of 36 miles per gallon. A litre of petrol costs £1.30 and 1 gallon is
equal to 4.5 litres. Ben wants to travel 162 miles. Work out the cost of petrol he will need,
rounding your answer to the nearest penny.

162 ÷ 36 = 4.5 gallons

4.5 × 4.5 = 20.25 litres

20.25 × 1.30 = £26.33 (to the nearest penny)

20. The recipe shows the amount of each ingredient required to make 12 and 7 cupcakes. Fill
in the missing gaps.

Ingredients for 12 cakes Ingredients for 7 cakes

198g caster sugar 115.5g caster sugar

90g softened butter 52.5g softened butter

6 eggs 3.5 eggs

600g self-raising flour 350g self-raising flour

66g icing sugar 38.5g icing sugar

21. It takes 3 people 8 hours to paint 2 walls. Work out how long it would take 5 people to paint
4 walls of the same size, assuming each person paints at the same rate.

3 people: 8 × 2 = 16 hours to paint 4 walls.

1 person: 16 × 3 = 48 hours to paint 4 walls.

5 people: 48 ÷ 5 = 9.6 hours to paint 4 walls.

9.6 hours or 9 hours 36 minutes.

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 Direct and Inverse Proportion – Problem Solving Answers
22. 10 sheep are grazing in a field. It would take the sheep 50 days to eat all of the grass. How
many days would it take for 7 sheep to eat half the amount of grass, assuming each sheep
eats at the same rate? Give your answer correct to one decimal place.

10 sheep: 50 ÷ 2 = 25 days to eat half the grass.

1 sheep: 25 × 10 = 250 days to eat half the grass.

7 sheep: 250 ÷ 7 = 35.7 days (1d.p.) to eat half the grass.

23. I t takes Alexa and her friend 6 hours to complete a project. How long would it take to
complete 3 projects if Alexa asked 3 more of her friends to help, assuming her friends work
at the same rate?

2 people: 6 hours to complete 1 project.

2 people: 6 × 3 = 18 hours to complete 3 projects.

1 person: 18 × 2 = 36 hours to complete 3 projects.

5 people: 36 ÷ 5 = 7.2 hours to complete 3 projects.

7.2 hours or 7 hours 12 minutes.

he table shows sets of values, x and y. Given that y is directly proportional to x, complete
24. T
the table.

x 0 2 4 10

y 0 6 12 30

25. The table shows sets of values, x and y. Given that y is directly proportional to x, complete
the table.

x 2.5 7 11

y 6 16.8 26.4

he table shows sets of values, x and y. Given that y is inversely proportional to x, complete
26. T
the table.

x 24 4 2

1
y 3 2 4

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