Minds On
Rates
Student Success
Think-Pair-Share
Record examples of rate used in your home and your community. Explain how the rate might be used.
Press the ‘Hint’ button to learn about the definition of rate.
A rate is a ratio of two quantities using different units.
For example, if we pay $27 for 3 pizzas, we are comparing the unit dollar to the other unit: pizza.
This can be expressed as a fraction where the numerator is 27 and the denominator is 3.
Complete the Examples of Rate Organizer in your notebook or use the following fillable and printable document.
| Example of rate | Place of use (home or community) |
Explain how the rate is used. |
|---|---|---|
| e.g. 3 limes for 98 cents | Community - grocery store | Number of limes for amount of money |
| e.g., speed limit on street by home is 40km per hour | Community - street | A car going at this speed can go the distance of 40km in one hour |
Press the ‘Activity’ button to access the Examples of Rate Organizer.
Note to teachers: See your teacher guide for collaboration tools, ideas and suggestions.
Unit rate review
Let’s review what we learned about unit rate.
What is a unit rate?
When we express a rate as a fraction and the denominator of that fraction is 1, it is a unit rate.
For example, a car is recorded as moving at a pace of 55km in 1 hour.
The unit rate is written as 55km/hour. It would be written as a fraction like this:
How do we calculate unit rate?
A car was recorded as travelling 280km in 4 hours. It would be written as a fraction like this:
How do we find the unit rate? We divide the numerator by the denominator:
280 ÷ 4 = 70
This means that the car travelled 70km in one hour. That is the unit rate.
What is the difference between Goods and Services?
Goods: These are usually items that are tangible which you can buy (e.g. clothes, bike, food, electronics). These items have to be made or grown.
Services:Something useful that people or companies do for others. It is often associated with a payment or fee.
Action
Unit rates of services
We will focus on the unit rates of services in our community.
Work with a partner, if possible, to solve the following math problem:
A hairdresser earns $20 for a child’s haircut and $35 for an adult haircut. It takes the hairdresser 15 minutes for a child’s haircut and 30 minutes for an adult haircut.
At the end of a 3-hour shift, the hairdresser spends twice as much time on children’s haircuts as they do for giving adult haircuts.
Complete the RICE Strategy Organizer in your notebook or use the following fillable and printable document and answer the following questions:
- How many customers did the hairdresser serve in total?
- What is the hairdresser’s hourly wage?
- If the hairdresser continued to work at the previous rate, but for 9 hours straight, how much money will they earn in total?
Press the Activity button to access the RICE Strategy Organizer.
Activity (Open PDF in a new window)Consolidation
Create your own math problem
Brainstorm
Brainstorm
Brainstorm possible scenarios to use to create your own math problem. When you are asked to create your own math problem in the following activity, you may use one of the examples the group came up with or use one you think of after.
As a class, you brainstormed possible scenarios in which to create your own math problem which uses the same skills to solve as the hairdresser problem in the Action section.
Use one of the scenarios you brainstormed or choose one of your own if you feel confident. Create the scenario, then respond to the following questions:
- How many hours were worked in total?
- What is unit rate? (e.g., hourly wage)
- If the person continued to perform a task at the previous rate, but for 12 hours straight, how much money would they get in total?
Press the ‘Example’ button to see some example scenarios.
Landscaper planting bushes and trees
Picking apples and strawberries
Chef in a restaurant with cooking times and cost
Switch your math problem with a partner and try to solve your peer’s question.
Reflection
As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.
I feel...
Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.