Calculating unit rate is an important math skill that comes up often in real life situations As a blogger, I want to provide a detailed, easy-to-follow guide on how to calculate unit rate to help beginners master this concept.
What is Unit Rate?
Let’s start with the basics – what is unit rate?
Unit rate is a rate with a denominator of 1. It shows the amount per one unit of something. For example, if you drove 60 miles in 2 hours, your speed or rate would be 60/2 = 30 miles per hour. The unit rate is 30 miles per 1 hour.
Unit rates are extremely common. Some other examples are:
- Cost per item (e.g. $2 per apple)
- Earnings per hour
- Miles per gallon of gas
Knowing how to calculate unit rates quickly is an important life skill with many practical applications.
How to Calculate Unit Rate
Here are the simple steps to calculate unit rate
Step 1: Identify the Total Quantity and Unit
First, identify the total quantity and the unit it is divided into. For example:
- Total quantity: 60 miles
- Unit: 2 hours
Step 2: Write as a Ratio
Next, express this information as a ratio. The total quantity becomes the numerator and the unit becomes the denominator.
For our example:
60 miles / 2 hours
This expresses the rate at which the distance was traveled.
Step 3: Divide to Find Unit Rate
Now divide the numerator by the denominator to find the unit rate:
60 miles / 2 hours = 30 miles/hour
The unit rate is 30 miles per 1 hour.
And we’re done! Just 3 simple steps to find unit rate.
Real World Examples
Let’s walk through a few real world examples to get more practice calculating unit rates:
Example 1: Cost Per Item
Let’s say you bought 2 apples for $4 total. What is the cost per apple?
- Total quantity: $4
- Unit: 2 apples
- Ratio: $4 / 2 apples
- Unit rate: $4 / 2 apples = $2 per apple
Therefore, the cost per apple is $2.
Example 2: Earnings Per Hour
John worked 25 hours this week and earned a total of $385. What were John’s earnings per hour?
- Total quantity: $385
- Unit: 25 hours
- Ratio: $385 / 25 hours
- Unit rate: $385 / 25 hours = $15.40 per hour
So John earned $15.40 per hour this week.
Example 3: Miles Per Gallon
Priya drove 246 miles before needing to fill up her car with gas again. Her tank held 12 gallons when she filled up. What was Priya’s miles per gallon?
- Total quantity: 246 miles
- Unit: 12 gallons
- Ratio: 246 miles / 12 gallons
- Unit rate: 246 miles / 12 gallons = 20.5 miles per gallon
Therefore, Priya’s car got 20.5 miles to the gallon.
Tips for Calculating Unit Rates
Here are some useful tips when working with unit rates:
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Clearly identify the total quantity and the unit it is divided into. Expressing this as a ratio is key.
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Make sure to include the units in your final answer. Write “per hour”, “per apple”, etc.
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You can use a calculator to divide if needed, but practicing doing it manually helps build skills.
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Double check your work. Small mistakes in setting up the ratio can throw off your entire unit rate calculation.
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When solving word problems, read carefully to pick out the relevant information. Underline key values.
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Apply unit rates to real life – calculate the unit price at a store, your car’s fuel efficiency, earnings per task, etc. The more practice the better!
Common Unit Rate Mistakes
Some common mistakes when working with unit rates include:
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Forgetting to divide the numerator by the denominator to reduce to 1 unit
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Mixing up which value should be the numerator and which should be the denominator
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Forgetting the units in the final answer
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Dividing incorrectly due to calculation errors
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Setting up the wrong ratio from the start due to not reading the word problem carefully
Double checking your work and verifying the units are a good way to catch these errors. Be especially careful when setting up the initial ratio – all other mistakes stem from getting this wrong.
Congratulations, you now know how to calculate unit rates! This fundamental skill will serve you well any time you need to find a rate per unit for real world situations. Follow the 3 step process:
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Identify the total quantity and unit
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Write as a ratio
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Divide to find the unit rate
Be sure to practice on a variety of examples, watch out for common mistakes, and apply unit rates in your daily life. Calculating unit rates may seem intimidating at first, but with this guide you’re now equipped to master this math skill and improve your quantitative literacy.
What is Unit Rate?
A unit rate can be used to describe how many units of the first type of quantity corresponds to one unit of the second type of quantity. A few examples of unit rates are km/hour, m/sec, cost/litre, etc.
How to Used Unit Rate Calculator?
The unit rate tool provided here is extremely simple and easy to use. Follow the steps given below to use this tool.
- Step 1: Enter a numeric digit in the first input box i.e. below “Quantity” text.
- Step 2: Enter the unit of the numerator i.e. under “(Units)” text.
- Step 3: Enter the second numeric digit after the dotted line.
- Step 4: Enter the unit of the denominator in the last input box (right-hand bottom)
- Step 5: Click on the “Calculate” button.
For example, if the numerator is given as 30 km and the denominator is given as 2.5 hours, the tool will divide them both and give the result as 12 km per hour.
Rates and Unit Rates | Math with Mr. J
How do you find a unit rate?
When trying to find the unit rate, you often divide the first or top number by the second or bottom number to get to one. This is because any number divided by itself equals one, except zero.
What is a unit rate?
“Unit rate” is a comparison of any two separate but related measurements when the second of these measurements is reduced to a value of one. Calculating the unit rate in any set of circumstances will require the use of division. Understand unit rate.
What is a unit rate equation?
A rate is a ratio of two different units. An unit rate is a rate with a denominator of 1 . To calculate a unit rate with units A B , divide the quantity with unit A by the quantity with unit B . Two common applications of the unit rate equation are speed and price. The equations for them are written in the form of:
How do you write a rate with different units?
with different units. When we write a rate, it has units in the form of a fraction, A B . For example, speed, a ratio of distance and time, has units like meters second or miles hour . The word per represents the fraction bar: meters per second is equivalent to meters second . An unit rate is a rate with a denominator of 1 .
