Comparing rates in words, step by step
Which is faster, 60 miles in 5 hours or 84 miles in 7 hours?
The question
Ay = 11x, y liters and x minutesB65 liters in 5 minutesAB
Which is greater?
A y = 11x, y liters and x minutes B 65 liters in 5 minutes
Ay = 11x, y liters and x minutes
B65 liters in 5 minutes
y = 11x, y liters and x minutes→11 per minute
65 ÷ 5=13 per minute
A 11B 13
greater:B
- These two are written in different ways, so there is nothing to compare yet — the numbers on the page are not the same kind of number. Turn each one into a rate PER ONE minute first, and do not look at which looks bigger until you have.
- A: the number in front of x, which is already a rate per one minute: 11. So A is 11 liters per minute.
- B: 65 ÷ 5 = 13. So B is 13 liters per minute.
- Now they can be compared: A is 11 and B is 13 per minute, so B is greater.
How it works.
- 01
These two are written in different ways, so there is nothing to compare yet — the numbers on the page are not the same kind of number. Turn each one into a rate PER ONE minute first, and do not look at which looks bigger until you have.
- 02
A: the number in front of x, which is already a rate per one minute: 11. So A is 11 liters per minute.
- 03
B: 65 ÷ 5 = 13. So B is 13 liters per minute.
- 04
Now they can be compared: A is 11 and B is 13 per minute, so B is greater.