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Maths Adventures

Jungle maths quest: ratio

A story-led junior maths adventure using bridges, vines and hidden temples to mix recipes, scale drawings and compare quantities.

Quick answer

Ratios help us compare how much of one thing there is compared to another. In a jungle quest, you might mix 3 parts water to 1 part juice to make a drink, or build a bridge using 4 logs for every 1 rope.

Learning outcome

By the end of this jungle quest, you will be able to compare amounts using ratios and understand how to make equal groups that match a given ratio. Success signs:
  • You can describe a ratio like "2 red beads to 1 blue bead"
  • You can make a pattern or drawing that shows a ratio
  • You can solve simple ratio problems using pictures or objects
  • You can find missing amounts in a ratio when one part is known

Why this matters

Ratios help you understand how things go together, which is useful for cooking, building, sports, and even playing games. When you're on a jungle quest, you might need to mix the right amount of ingredients to make a healing potion, or build a bridge that's strong enough to hold your team. In school, ratios help you understand fractions, percentages, and scaling. They're also used in real life for things like maps, recipes, and sharing resources.

How it works

Ratios compare how much of one thing there is compared to another. We write them using a colon (:). For example, if you have 2 red apples and 3 green apples, the ratio is 2:3. To understand ratios:
  1. First, count how much of each thing you have
  2. Then, write the amounts with a colon between them
  3. Finally, check if the ratio makes sense for what you're comparing
You can also use ratios to find missing amounts. If you know the ratio is 3:1 and you have 12 of the first thing, you can work out how much of the second thing you need.

Examples you can see

Let's imagine you're on a jungle quest and you find a recipe for a special potion. Example 1: Mixing ingredients The recipe says to mix 3 cups of water with 1 cup of juice to make a healing potion.
  • This means for every 3 parts water, you need 1 part juice
  • We write this as 3:1
  • If you want to make 4 cups of potion, you need 3 cups of water and 1 cup of juice
Example 2: Building a bridge You need to build a bridge using logs and ropes.
  • For every 4 logs, you need 1 rope
  • This is a ratio of 4:1
  • If you have 12 logs, you need 3 ropes
Example 3: Making a pattern You want to make a pattern using red and blue beads.
  • You use 2 red beads for every 1 blue bead
  • This is a ratio of 2:1
  • If you make 6 beads, you will use 4 red beads and 2 blue beads

Try it as a mini adventure

Jungle Quest: The Temple of Balanced Ingredients You are on a quest to find a hidden temple. To enter, you must prepare a special drink using the correct ratio of ingredients. Step 1: You have 6 cups of water and 2 cups of fruit juice. What is the ratio of water to juice? Step 2: The temple's guardian says you need to make a drink with a ratio of 3:1 (water to juice). You have 9 cups of water. How much juice do you need? Step 3: You're building a vine bridge. For every 5 vine strands, you need 1 rope to hold it together. You have 20 vine strands. How many ropes do you need? Step 4: You find a treasure chest with beads. You need to make a pattern with 3 red beads for every 2 blue beads. If you use 12 red beads, how many blue beads do you need? Step 5: You've solved all the puzzles! You can now enter the temple.

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Writing the ratio backwards (e.g. 1:3 instead of 3:1)
    Why it happens: Confusing which item comes first
    Fix: Always read the ratio from left to right and think "first amount to second amount"
  • Mistake: Adding instead of multiplying to find missing amounts
    Why it happens: Not understanding that ratios show groups
    Fix: Use a simple multiplication or division to find the relationship
  • Mistake: Forgetting to simplify ratios when possible
    Why it happens: Not knowing that 4:2 is the same as 2:1
    Fix: Divide both numbers by the same amount to make the ratio simpler
  • Mistake: Mixing up ratio with subtraction
    Why it happens: Thinking "3 to 1" means 3 minus 1 = 2
    Fix: Remember ratios compare amounts, not differences

Parent and carer guide

To help your child with ratios, try these simple activities:
  • Use everyday objects like pasta, beads, or toys to make ratios
  • Play a game where you say a ratio and they make it with blocks
  • Ask questions like "If you have 2 red stickers and 4 blue stickers, what is the ratio?"
  • Look for ratios in cooking - for example, "for every 2 cups of flour, we need 1 cup of milk"
  • Use drawings or real pictures to show ratios
  • Don't worry if they get confused at first - ratios take time to understand
  • Keep it fun and don't make it feel like a test
For Ages 4-6: - Focus on simple ratios like 1:1, 2:1, and 3:1 - Use real objects and play with them - Keep activities short and fun For Ages 7-9: - Start with ratios like 2:3, 4:2 - Practice with simple word problems - Introduce the idea of scaling up ratios For Ages 10-12: - Work with more complex ratios and fractions - Use ratio problems from real life like maps and recipes - Practice simplifying ratios

Practice questions

  1. What is the ratio of 4 red apples to 2 green apples?
  2. You have 8 red blocks and 4 blue blocks. What is the ratio of red to blue?
  3. If the ratio of boys to girls in a class is 3:2 and there are 6 boys, how many girls are there?
  4. You mix 5 cups of sugar with 2 cups of flour. What is the ratio of sugar to flour?
  5. If the ratio of cats to dogs is 1:3 and there are 12 dogs, how many cats are there?
Answers:
  1. 4:2 or simplified 2:1
  2. 8:4 or simplified 2:1
  3. 4 girls
  4. 5:2
  5. 4 cats

FAQ

What is a ratio?

A ratio is a way to compare how much of one thing there is compared to another. We write it with a colon, like 2:3.

How do I read a ratio?

You read a ratio from left to right. For example, 3:1 means "3 of the first thing to 1 of the second thing".

Can ratios be simplified?

Yes! Just like fractions, ratios can be simplified by dividing both numbers by the same amount. For example, 6:4 simplifies to 3:2.

Where can I find ratios in real life?

Ratios are everywhere! They're in recipes (2 cups flour to 1 cup milk), maps (1 cm represents 100 m), and even in sports (3 goals to 1 goal).

How can I practice ratios at home?

Use everyday objects like pasta, beads, or toys to make ratios. Try cooking together and use ratios in recipes. You can also draw pictures showing ratios.