24 questions across ratio, direct and inverse proportion, compound measures and area and volume scale factors.

⚗️ Ratio and proportion mastery — Higher

Maths · GCSE Higher · 24 questions · ~45 min

MathsUKwww.geekhero.co.uk

Ratio, proportion and rates of change is 20% of a Higher paper and it is the area that rewards method over recall. This sheet works through it in one sitting: simplifying and sharing in a ratio, including the questions that give you one share or the difference rather than the total; expressing one quantity as a fraction or percentage of another; direct and inverse proportion, both numerically and as an equation with a constant k; compound measures — speed, density and pressure — with unit conversions built in rather than avoided; and the similar-shapes work where lengths, areas and volumes scale by the factor, its square and its cube. That last group is where Higher candidates lose the most marks in this area, so it is deliberately over-represented here.

1.y is inversely proportional to x, so y = k ÷ x. When x = 5, the value of y is 8. Work out the value of k.
(a)3
(b)1.6
(c)13
(d)40
2.y is inversely proportional to x². When x = 2, y = 8. Construct the equation connecting x and y, then work out the value of y when x = 4.
(a)2
(b)512
(c)4
(d)8
3.y is inversely proportional to x. When x = 5, y = 8. Work out the value of y when x = 10.
(a)4
(b)0.8
(c)16
(d)3
4.y is directly proportional to √x. When x = 4, y = 8. Construct the equation connecting x and y, then work out the value of y when x = 9.
(a)18
(b)12
(c)36
(d)3
5.A furniture maker builds two mathematically similar bookcases. The smaller bookcase is 40 cm tall and uses 2 m² of wood. The larger bookcase is 60 cm tall. Work out the area of wood needed for the larger bookcase, giving your answer in m².
(a)2.25 m²
(b)4.5 m²
(c)6.75 m²
(d)3 m²
6.In a science lesson Priya has 10 litres of a solution that is 30% salt. She adds water to make a solution that is 20% salt. Work out how many litres of water she adds.
(a)15 litres
(b)5 litres
(c)3 litres
(d)2 litres
7.At an animal shelter, the ratio of cats to dogs is 2:5. There are 18 more dogs than cats. Work out the number of cats.
(a)6
(b)12
(c)9
(d)30
8.The number of tickets a group can afford is inversely proportional to the price per ticket. At £4 per ticket, the group can afford 12 tickets. Work out how many tickets the group can afford at £6 per ticket.
(a)6
(b)18
(c)12
(d)8
9.A jug of squash is made by mixing water and syrup in the ratio 6:1. Nia wants to make 8.4 litres of squash. Work out how much syrup she needs, in litres.
(a)0.84
(b)1.4
(c)1.2
(d)7.2
10.A spring's extension is directly proportional to the force applied to it. A force of 5 N produces an extension of 12 mm. Work out the extension produced by a force of 20 N.
(a)32 mm
(b)3 mm
(c)48 mm
(d)36 mm
11.Tap A fills a swimming pool in 6 hours. Tap B pours water twice as fast as tap A. The time taken to fill the pool is inversely proportional to the rate of flow. Work out how long tap B takes to fill the pool.
(a)3 hours
(b)12 hours
(c)4 hours
(d)1.5 hours
12.A sculptor makes two mathematically similar statues. The smaller statue is 20 cm tall and 80 ml of varnish covers its surface. The larger statue is 50 cm tall. Work out how much varnish is needed to cover the surface of the larger statue.
(a)200 ml
(b)1250 ml
(c)32 ml
(d)500 ml
13.A train travels at a constant speed of 90 km/h. Work out the speed in m/s.
(a)1.5 m/s
(b)25 m/s
(c)324 m/s
(d)90000 m/s
14.A 1.5 kg bag of pasta costs £2.85 and a 2.4 kg bag of the same pasta costs £4.32. Work out which bag gives better value for money.
(a)The 1.5 kg bag, since it costs £1.19 per kg compared with £2.88 per kg for the 2.4 kg bag.
(b)The 2.4 kg bag, since it costs £1.80 per kg compared with £1.90 per kg for the 1.5 kg bag.
(c)The 1.5 kg bag, since it costs £1.80 per kg compared with £1.90 per kg for the 2.4 kg bag.
(d)The 1.5 kg bag, since £2.85 is less than £4.32.
15.A metal cylinder has a mass of 356.5 g and a volume of 47 cm³. Work out the density of the cylinder, in g/cm³, to 1 decimal place.
(a)0.1
(b)403.5
(c)7.6
(d)7.5
16.A mortar mix is made from sand and cement in the ratio 5 : 3. Write the ratio of sand to the total mix in its simplest form.
(a)8:5
(b)5:8
(c)3:8
(d)5:3
17.Jamal invests £600 in a savings account paying 3% simple interest per year. Work out the total amount in the account after 4 years.
(a)£675.31
(b)£72
(c)£672
(d)£618
18.Two mathematically similar polygons have perimeters in the ratio 2 : 5. Write the ratio of their areas in its simplest form.
(a)8 : 125
(b)4 : 25
(c)4 : 5
(d)2 : 5
19.A metal sample has a mass of 342.6 g and a volume of 18 cm³. Work out the density of the sample, in g/cm³, to 1 decimal place.
(a)0.1 g/cm³
(b)19.0 g/cm³
(c)324.6 g/cm³
(d)6166.8 g/cm³
20.The manufacturing cost of a specialist lens, in pounds, is proportional to the square root of its diameter, in millimetres. A lens of diameter 9 mm costs £12 to manufacture. Construct the equation connecting cost C and diameter d, then work out the cost of manufacturing a lens of diameter 16 mm.
(a)£32
(b)£16
(c)£4
(d)£64
21.Maya is paid £105.30 for working 9 hours. Work out her rate of pay, in £ per hour.
(a)£11.70
(b)£117.00
(c)£947.70
(d)£96.30
22.A cyclist travels 18 km in 45 minutes. Work out the average speed, in km/h.
(a)40 km/h
(b)24 km/h
(c)13.5 km/h
(d)0.4 km/h
23.Two mathematically similar circles have radii 4 cm and 20 cm. Write the ratio of the area of the smaller circle to the area of the larger circle in its simplest form.
(a)25 : 1
(b)1 : 5
(c)1 : 25
(d)1 : 10
24.x × y is used to test whether two quantities are in inverse proportion. For the pairs x = 4, y = 15 and x = 6, y = 10, which statement is correct?
(a)They are not in inverse proportion, because y ÷ x is different for each pair (3.75 and 1.67).
(b)They are in inverse proportion, because x × y = 60 for both pairs.
(c)They are in inverse proportion, because x × y = 40 for both pairs.
(d)They are not in inverse proportion, because x + y is different for each pair (19 and 16).

What is on this worksheet?

The sheet holds 24 questions drawn from the MathsUK bank — the content area covered: Ratio, proportion and rates of change (statements R4, R5, R9, R10, R11, R12, R13). It is pitched at GCSE Higher and takes about 45 minutes to work through in full. It is built for independent practice, with full answers at the end for self-marking.

How to use the sheet well

Print it or open it on screen — both work. Printing is A4; the screen view fits phones and tablets.
Do all 24 questions before checking — about 45 minutes is the guide, but there is no time pressure.
Check the answers — press “Show answers” or print the answer page separately.
Redo the questions you got wrong — twice as effective as doing 24 fresh ones.
“New questions” — builds a fresh sheet on the same statements, so you can practise again without repeats.

Why this sheet helps

MathsUK worksheets use questions graded by difficulty and a fair spread of correct-answer positions (the answer is not always (a)) — so the student really has to think about each question rather than guess a pattern. Every question is tagged to a DfE content statement and checked before it enters the bank. The answers come with a step-by-step explanation, not just a value — so a wrong answer becomes a lesson.

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