Here's a breakdown:
* Ratio: A comparison of two quantities. It's often expressed as a fraction or using the symbol ":".
* Constant Ratio: This means the ratio between the two quantities remains the same even when their individual values change.
* Proportional Quantities: When two quantities have a constant ratio, they are said to be directly proportional.
Example:
Imagine you're making a fruit punch. The recipe calls for 2 cups of orange juice for every 1 cup of cranberry juice. This means the ratio of orange juice to cranberry juice is 2:1.
* If you double the recipe, you'll need 4 cups of orange juice and 2 cups of cranberry juice, but the ratio (2:1) stays the same.
* If you halve the recipe, you'll need 1 cup of orange juice and 0.5 cups of cranberry juice, but the ratio (2:1) remains constant.
In conclusion: When two quantities have a constant ratio, they are directly proportional. This means that as one quantity increases or decreases, the other quantity changes proportionally.