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How is finding a unit rate similar to solving a proportion

User Jmstoker
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2 Answers

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the both involve Fractions 
User Dan Ochiana
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A unit rate is a quantity per one unit. For example, miles per hour (mi/h). The "one unit" is 1 hour.
However, 10 miles per 2 hours (10 mi/2h) would not be a unit rate because it is per 2 hours, not 1. The unit rate for 10 mi/2h would be 5 mi/h.

You can find the unit rate by simply dividing the numerator by the denominator. (The fraction bar is a division bar!)
In simplifying 10 mi/2h, I divided the numerator (10mi) by the denominator (2h).
10 divided by 2 is 5, so the unit rate is 5 mi/h.

You can also think of this as a proportion. Because for the unit rate you need to find the new quantity over one unit of measurement, the new rate is x over one hour.

(10mi)/(2h) = (x)/(h) \\ \\ (2h)x = (10mi)h \\ x = 5mi/h
User Jrd
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