Final answer:
To check for a proportional relationship by using rates, compare the corresponding variable values to find a constant rate; if y = kx for all corresponding x and y, the relationship is proportional.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine whether a situation is a proportional relationship, one can use rates by comparing corresponding values of the variables to see if there is a constant rate.
The correct option is A) You can compare corresponding values of the variables to determine whether there is a constant rate. This means that for two variables x and y, if they are in a directly proportional relationship, you can find a constant k such that y = kx. If the ratio between y and x is the same for all pairs of corresponding values, then the relationship is proportional.