Ratios and Proportional Relationships

Question

A mixture of paint calls for 1/6 of a cup of red paint and 2/3 cups of yellow paint. How many cups of red paint would be needed for every 1 cup of yellow paint?

Answer 1

Think of this as an equation.

1/6 cup of red paint = 2/3 cup of yellow paint

Any fraction times its reciprocal is equal to 1. The reciprocal of 2/3 is 3/2.

2/3 * 3/2 = 1

Multiply the 1/6 times 3/2 also since you have to do the same thing on both sides of an equation.

1/6 * 3/2 = 3/12 = 1/4 cup of red paint