Here are some fun and relatable examples of ratios that children might encounter in their everyday lives:

1. Making Lemonade

• Example: If you need 2 cups of water and 1 cup of lemon juice to make lemonade, the ratio of water to lemon juice is 2:1. This means for every 2 parts of water, you need 1 part of lemon juice.

2. Snack Time

• Example: If you have 6 cookies and 3 friends, the ratio of cookies to friends is 6:3. This can be simplified to 2:1, meaning each friend gets 2 cookies.

3. School Bus Seating

• Example: If there are 12 seats on the bus and 4 children, the ratio of seats to children is 12:4, which simplifies to 3:1. This means there are 3 seats for every child.

4. Mixing Paint Colours

• Example: When mixing paint, you might use a ratio of 3 parts blue to 2 parts yellow to make green. So, the ratio of blue to yellow is 3:2.

5. Classroom Supplies

• Example: If there are 15 pencils and 5 erasers in a box, the ratio of pencils to erasers is 15:5, which simplifies to 3:1. This means there are 3 pencils for every eraser.

6. Animal Count

• Example: In a pet shop, there are 8 cats and 4 dogs. The ratio of cats to dogs is 8:4, which simplifies to 2:1. This means there are 2 cats for every dog.

7. Fruit Salad

• Example: When making a fruit salad, you might use a ratio of 2 parts strawberries to 1-part blueberries. This means for every 2 strawberries; you use 1 blueberry.

8. Pizza Slices

• Example: If you have 8 slices of pizza and 4 friends, the ratio of slices to friends is 8:4, which simplifies to 2:1. Each friend gets 2 slices.

9. Watering Plants

• Example: If you mix 4 parts water with 1 part plant food, the ratio of water to plant food is 4:1. This helps keep the plants healthy without too much plant food.

10. Sports Team

• Example: In a football game, there might be a ratio of 2 forwards to 1 goalie. This means for every 2 forwards, there is 1 goalie.

These examples show how ratios are everywhere, from the kitchen to the playground, helping us compare quantities and understand relationships in a simple, visual way!

Using ratios to solve problems can be a fun and engaging way for children to apply their math skills in real-life scenarios. Here are some examples and simple steps to help children solve ratio problems:

Steps for Solving Ratio Problems

1. Understand the Problem: Read the problem carefully to identify the quantities being compared.
2. Write the Ratio: Express the comparison as a ratio using the colon symbol (e.g., 3:2).
3. Set Up the Relationship: Use the ratio to set up a relationship between the quantities.
4. Solve for the Unknown: Use multiplication or division to find the missing quantity.
5. Check Your Work: Ensure that the solution makes sense in the context of the problem.

Example Problems and Solutions

Example 1: Making Fruit Punch

Problem: To make fruit punch, you need a ratio of 3 parts orange juice to 2 parts pineapple juice. If you have 9 cups of orange juice, how much pineapple juice do you need?

Steps:

1. Understand the Problem: The ratio of orange juice to pineapple juice is 3:2.
2. Write the Ratio: 3:2
3. Set Up the Relationship: For every 3 cups of orange juice, you need 2 cups of pineapple juice.
4. Solve for the Unknown: If you have 9 cups of orange juice:
   • $\frac{9\text{ cups orange juice}}{3\text{ cups orange juice}}=\frac{x\text{ cups pineapple juice}}{2\text{ cups pineapple juice}}$ 
   • $\mathrm{<span\; style="font-family:\; Calibri,\; sans-serif;\; font-size:\; 12pt;">9\; ÷\; 3\; =\; 3</span>}$
   • Multiply the same factor (3) by the 2 cups of pineapple juice: $\mathrm{}$
     2×3=6
   • You need 6 cups of pineapple juice.
5. Check Your Work: The ratio 9:6 simplifies to 3:2, which matches the original ratio.

Solution: You need 6 cups of pineapple juice.

Example 2: Sharing Candies

Problem: Sarah and Tom share candies in the ratio 4:3. If Sarah has 12 candies, how many candies does Tom have?

Steps:

1. Understand the Problem: The ratio of Sarah’s candies to Tom’s candies is 4:3.
2. Write the Ratio: 4:3
3. Set Up the Relationship: For every 4 candies Sarah has, Tom has 3 candies.
4. Solve for the Unknown: If Sarah has 12 candies:
   • $\frac{12\text{ candies}}{4\text{ candies}}=\frac{x\text{ candies}}{3\text{ candies}}$ 
   • $\mathrm{<span\; style="font-family:\; Calibri,\; sans-serif;\; font-size:\; 12pt;">12\; ÷\; 4\; =\; 3</span>}$
   • Multiply the same factor (3) by the 3 candies Tom has: $\mathrm{<span\; style="font-family:\; Calibri,\; sans-serif;\; font-size:\; 12pt;">3\times 3=9</span>}$
   • Tom has 9 candies.
5. Check Your Work: The ratio 12:9 simplifies to 4:3, which matches the original ratio.

Solution: Tom has 9 candies.