What is Direct Proportion?

Direct proportion or direct variation is a mathematical relationship between two variables where they change in such a way that an increase in one variable leads to a corresponding increase in the other, and a decrease in one variable leads to a corresponding decrease in the other. In other words, if two quantities are in direct proportion, when one quantity doubles, the other also doubles, and when one quantity is halved, the other is also halved.

Direct Proportion Meaning

In Direct Proportion between two variables, an increase in one variable results in a proportional increase in the other variable. For example, if you have a situation where the number of hours worked is directly proportional to the amount earned, and you earn Rs. 100 for every hour worked, the equation representing this direct proportion would be:

Earnings (y) = 100 × Hours Worked (x)

This means that for every additional hour worked (increase in “x”), you will earn an additional Rs. 100 (increase in “y”).

Direct Proportion Definition

Two Quantities are said to be in direct proportion or direct variation if whenever the value of x increases (or decreases), then the value of y increases (or decreases) in such a way that the ratio x/y remains constant.

Direct Proportion in Mathematics

Direct Proportion, also known as direct variation, describes the direct relationship between two variables. In this direct relationship, when one variable increases in value, the other variable also increases, and conversely, when one variable decreases, the other variable decreases as well. This means that as one variable goes up or down, the other follows suit, maintaining a consistent and proportional change. 

In simple words, Direct Proportion is the relation between two quantities where the ratio of the two is equal to a constant value. Direct Proportion is represented by a proportional Symbol i.e.,∝. In this article, we are going to learn direct proportion or direct variation in detail. It is an important concept of mathematics.

Table of Content

  • What is Direct Proportion?
  • Direct Proportion Symbol
  • Example of Direct Proportion
  • Direct Proportion Formula
  • Direct Proportion Graph
  • Direct and Inverse Proportion

Similar Reads

What is Direct Proportion?

Direct proportion or direct variation is a mathematical relationship between two variables where they change in such a way that an increase in one variable leads to a corresponding increase in the other, and a decrease in one variable leads to a corresponding decrease in the other. In other words, if two quantities are in direct proportion, when one quantity doubles, the other also doubles, and when one quantity is halved, the other is also halved....

Direct Proportion Symbol

Direct Proportion Symbol is given as “x ∝ y”. Let’s say two quantities x and y are directly proportional to each other, then mathematical expression used to show this relation is given in the image below:...

Example of Direct Proportion

There are many situations in our daily life where the variation in one quantity brings a variation in the other. Let’s consider and example for better understanding:...

Direct Proportion Formula

Suppose we have two quantities x and y, the direct Proportion between them can be shown like this:...

Direct Proportion Graph

A direct proportion graph, also known as a direct variation graph or a linear proportion graph, represents a relationship between two variables that are directly proportional to each other. In a direct proportion, as one variable increases, the other variable also increases at a constant rate....

Direct and Inverse Proportion

The proportion is said to be a direct proportion between two values when one is a multiple of the other while The value is said to be inversely proportional when one value increases, and the other decreases or vice versa....

Examples of Direct Proportion with Solution

Question 1: If x and y are directly proportional, find the values of x1, x2 and y1 in the table given below:...

Practice Problems on Direct Proportion

Problem 1: If it takes 4 hours for 2 workers to complete a task, how many hours will it take for 6 workers to complete the same task?...

Direct Proportion: FAQs

1. What Is Direct Proportion?...

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