Answer: The relationship between the number of adults and the number of students is a proportional relationship and the required equation is y = 12x.
Step-by-step explanation: Given that for a school field trip, there must be 1 adult to accompany 12 students, 3 adults to accompany 36 students and 5 adults to accompany 60 students.
We are to show that the relationship between the number of adults and the number of students is a proportional relationship.
Also, to write an equation for the relationship.
Let x denotes the number of adults to accompany y students.
Then, according to the given information, we have
When x = 1, then y = 12 = 12 × 1,
When x = 3, then y = 36 = 12 × 3,
When x = 5, then y = 60 = 12 × 5, etc.
Therefore, we can write
y = 12 × x ⇒ y = 12x, which represents a proportional relationship, with 12 as the proportionality constant.
Thus, the relationship between the number of adults and the number of students is a proportional relationship and the required equation is y = 12x.