What is a proportional relationship in math?

The proportion helps us to find how one quantity varies with the other.

Answer: If one variable is always equal to a constant multiplied by the other variable(quantity), then we can say that those variables are in a proportional relationship.

Proportion is a mathematical comparison between two numbers. Let's understand the proportionality in detail.

Explanation:

Based on the type of relationship two or more quantities share, the proportion can be classified into different types. There are two types of proportions.

• Direct Proportion relationship

  • This type describes the direct relationship between two quantities. In simple words, if one quantity increases, the other quantity also increases and vice-versa.

  • For example, if the speed of a car is increased, it covers more distance in a fixed amount of time. In notation, the direct proportion is written as y ∝ x. 

  • Denoted by y = kx where k is the constant of proportionality.

• Inverse Proportion relationship

  • This type describes the indirect relationship between two quantities. In simple words, if one quantity increases, the other quantity decreases and vice-versa.

  • It is represented as y ∝ 1/x. For example, increasing the speed of the car will result in covering a fixed distance in less time.

  • Denoted by y = k(1/x) or xy = k, where k is the constant of proportionality. 

Similarly, We can apply the concepts of proportions to geography, comparing quantities in physics, dietetics, cooking, etc.

Thus, if one variable is always equal to a constant multiplied by the other variable(quantity), then we can say that those variables are in a proportional relationship.