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Maths Adventures

Museum maths quest: ratio

A story-led junior maths adventure using artefacts, clues and history puzzles to mix recipes, scale drawings and compare quantities.

Quick answer

Ratio is a way to compare how much of one thing there is compared to another thing. You can write ratios using a colon (like 2:3) or as a fraction (like 2/3). When you see a ratio like 2:3, it means for every 2 parts of one thing, there are 3 parts of another.

Learning outcome

By the end of this page, you will understand how to use ratios to compare amounts and solve puzzles like a detective in a museum. Success signs:
  • You can write a ratio using a colon (like 2:3)
  • You can compare two amounts using ratios
  • You can solve simple ratio puzzles
  • You can see how ratios help in everyday life

Why this matters

Ratios help us understand how things relate to each other. In a museum, you might use ratios to mix the right amount of paint for a painting or to find out how many times bigger a dinosaur skeleton is than a real one. In cooking, ratios help you make the right amount of soup or cake. In sports, ratios help us compare scores or speeds. Understanding ratios is like being a detective who can solve puzzles with numbers.

How it works

Ratios are used to compare two or more amounts. You can think of them like a recipe. If a recipe says 2 cups of flour to 3 cups of sugar, the ratio is 2:3. This means for every 2 parts of flour, there are 3 parts of sugar. Ratios can be written in different ways:
  • With a colon: 2:3
  • As a fraction: 2/3
  • With words: 2 to 3
You can also compare more than two things. For example, if a paint mixture uses 1 part red, 2 parts blue, and 3 parts yellow, the ratio is 1:2:3.

Examples you can see

Let's imagine you are in a museum and find a treasure chest with a puzzle. The puzzle says: "For every 4 gold coins, there are 6 silver coins." What is the ratio of gold to silver coins? Answer: The ratio is 4:6. But we can simplify this ratio by dividing both numbers by 2. So, 4 ÷ 2 = 2 and 6 ÷ 2 = 3. The simplified ratio is 2:3. Here are more examples:
Example Ratio Explanation
3 apples and 5 oranges 3:5 For every 3 apples, there are 5 oranges
2 red marbles and 4 blue marbles 2:4 For every 2 red marbles, there are 4 blue marbles
1 red shirt and 3 blue shirts 1:3 For every 1 red shirt, there are 3 blue shirts

Try it as a mini adventure

Museum Maths Quest: Ratio Puzzle You are a young archaeologist exploring a mysterious museum. You find a clue that says: "Look for the painting that uses 3 parts blue paint to 5 parts yellow paint. The total is 8 parts." You need to find how many parts of each colour you need if you want to make 24 parts of paint total. Step 1: Find the ratio. It is 3:5 (blue to yellow). Step 2: Add the parts together. 3 + 5 = 8 parts total. Step 3: Find how many times bigger the new total is. 24 ÷ 8 = 3. Step 4: Multiply each part by 3.
  • Blue paint: 3 × 3 = 9 parts
  • Yellow paint: 5 × 3 = 15 parts
Answer: You need 9 parts blue paint and 15 parts yellow paint to make 24 parts total. Try this challenge yourself:
  • Find a recipe in your home that uses ratios
  • Use 3 parts flour to 2 parts sugar
  • Make a small batch of the recipe

Common mistakes

  • Mistake: Writing 3:5 as 5:3
    Why it happens: Confusing the order of numbers
    Fix: Always read the ratio from left to right and match it to what the puzzle or problem says
  • Mistake: Forgetting to simplify ratios
    Why it happens: Not knowing how to divide
    Fix: Find the biggest number that divides both parts evenly, then divide both by it
  • Mistake: Adding instead of multiplying when scaling
    Why it happens: Not understanding that ratios stay the same when you multiply both sides
    Fix: Multiply both parts by the same number

Parent and carer guide

You can help your child by:
  • Looking for ratios in everyday life: "For every 2 slices of pizza, there are 3 pieces of fruit"
  • Using simple recipes together and asking how much of each ingredient you need
  • Playing games where you give a ratio and ask them to make it with objects
  • Encouraging them to explain their thinking when solving ratio puzzles
  • Not worrying if they make mistakes – ratios are tricky at first!

Practice questions

  1. What is the ratio of 4 red balls to 6 blue balls?
  2. Write the ratio of 3 cats to 7 dogs in colon form
  3. Find the simplified ratio of 8:12
  4. If the ratio of boys to girls in a class is 3:4 and there are 12 boys, how many girls are there?
  5. What is the ratio of 10 apples to 15 oranges?
Answers:
  1. 4:6 or simplified 2:3
  2. 3:7
  3. 2:3
  4. 16 girls
  5. 10:15 or simplified 2:3

FAQ

What is a ratio?

A ratio compares how much of one thing there is compared to another. It shows the relationship between two or more amounts.

How do I write a ratio?

You can write a ratio using a colon (like 2:3), as a fraction (like 2/3), or with words (like 2 to 3).

Can ratios be simplified?

Yes! Just like fractions, ratios can be simplified by dividing both numbers by the same number.

Why are ratios important?

Ratios help us understand relationships and solve problems in cooking, art, science, and sports.

How can I practice ratios at home?

You can practice by looking at recipes, comparing your toys, or using everyday objects like blocks or counters to make ratios.