Menu

Math Lesson 4.3.4 - Cross Product in Direct Proportion

Please provide a rating, it takes seconds and helps us to keep this resource free for all to use

[ 1 Votes ]

Welcome to our Math lesson on Cross Product in Direct Proportion, this is the fourth lesson of our suite of math lessons covering the topic of Proportion, you can find links to the other lessons within this tutorial and access additional Math learning resources below this lesson.

Cross Product in Direct Proportion

As we explained earlier, a proportion is written in the form

a:b = c:d

or

a/b = c/d

where a and b are similar quantities as well as c and d. This is the ratio form of expressing a proportion, where all units are simplified.

However, another form of writing a proportion is by expressing it as a rate, i.e. as two fractions where the numerator and denominator of each, represent two different quantities (the units cannot be simplified).

For example, if 16 tailors can make 40 shirts in one day, then obviously if the number of tailors doubles (16 × 2 = 32), the number of shirts they can produce doubles too (40 × 2 = 80). Therefore, if we use the above notation, we have

a = 40 shirts
b = 80 shirts
c = 16 workers
d = 32 workers

Hence, the two methods of expressing this proportion is

a/b = c/d

i.e.

40 shirts/80 shirts = 16 workers/32 workers

or

a/c = b/d

i.e.

40 shirts/16 workers = 80 shirts/32 workers

From the two above methods of expressing a proportion, we can see that a and b can switch their position as well as c and d and still the proportion is valid. From chapter 1, we know that the only two operations that possess the commutative property are addition and multiplication. Since ratios are expressed as divisions, which are multiplications by the inverse, we can write the ratio as two products on either side of the expression. Hence, we can write a direct proportion as:

a × d = b × c

This method of expressing a proportion as equality of products is known as cross product.

Considering the numbers written in the above example, we can write

40 shirts × 32 workers = 80 shirts × 16 workers

The result in either side is 1280, which confirms the proportion.

The cross product method of writing a proportion allows us to check the veracity of proportion in an easier way without involving rational numbers, simplifications or GCF calculations.

Example 4

Check the veracity of the following proportions by using cross products

  1. 3:12 = 7:21
  2. 20:15 = 36:27

Solution 4

  1. First, we write the possible proportion in fractional form. We have:

    3/12 = 7/21

    Now, we can write the proportion as cross product:

    3 × 21 = 12 × 7
    63 = 84

    Since the last equality is not true, it is clear that the original proportion is not true either.

  2. Again, we write the possible proportion in the fractional form. We have:

    20/15 = 36/27

    Writing the expression as a cross product yields

    20 × 27 = 15 × 36
    540 = 540

    Therefore, the original proportion is true.

More Proportion Lessons and Learning Resources

Ratio and Proportion Learning Material
Tutorial IDMath Tutorial TitleTutorialVideo
Tutorial
Revision
Notes
Revision
Questions
4.3Proportion
Lesson IDMath Lesson TitleLessonVideo
Lesson
4.3.1Definition of Proportion
4.3.2Direct Proportion
4.3.3Graph of Direct Proportion
4.3.4Cross Product in Direct Proportion
4.3.5Inverse (Indirect) Proportion
4.3.6Graph of Inverse Proportion

Whats next?

Enjoy the "Cross Product in Direct Proportion" math lesson? People who liked the "Proportion lesson found the following resources useful:

  1. Cross Product Feedback. Helps other - Leave a rating for this cross product (see below)
  2. Ratio and Proportion Math tutorial: Proportion. Read the Proportion math tutorial and build your math knowledge of Ratio and Proportion
  3. Ratio and Proportion Video tutorial: Proportion. Watch or listen to the Proportion video tutorial, a useful way to help you revise when travelling to and from school/college
  4. Ratio and Proportion Revision Notes: Proportion. Print the notes so you can revise the key points covered in the math tutorial for Proportion
  5. Ratio and Proportion Practice Questions: Proportion. Test and improve your knowledge of Proportion with example questins and answers
  6. Check your calculations for Ratio and Proportion questions with our excellent Ratio and Proportion calculators which contain full equations and calculations clearly displayed line by line. See the Ratio and Proportion Calculators by iCalculator™ below.
  7. Continuing learning ratio and proportion - read our next math tutorial: Properties of Proportion. Geometric Mean

Help others Learning Math just like you

Please provide a rating, it takes seconds and helps us to keep this resource free for all to use

[ 1 Votes ]

We hope you found this Math tutorial "Proportion" useful. If you did it would be great if you could spare the time to rate this math tutorial (simply click on the number of stars that match your assessment of this math learning aide) and/or share on social media, this helps us identify popular tutorials and calculators and expand our free learning resources to support our users around the world have free access to expand their knowledge of math and other disciplines.

Ratio and Proportion Calculators by iCalculator™