lESSON

Rectangle Ratios

c. Continue to divide the rectangle in half,

calculating the ratio oflength to width.
Make a table like this one to record
your data.

Length Width . l/w Ratio

16 12 -
HALF RECTANGLES .................•

1. Take two identical rectangular pieces of 12 8 -

paper. Fold one in half. Place it on top of
the other piece. Is the folded half-rectangle 4. Describe any patterns you notice in your
similar to the original rectangle? Check table.
with the diagonal test.
5. a. Repeat problem 2 for three more
rectangles. Keep a careful record of
your data in tables. Look for patterns.
b. Find some rectangles for which the
length-to-width ratios do not change
when you cut them in half.
6. .,_ A rectangular sheet of paper is 1 foot
wide and x feet long. It is cut into two rec-
tangles, each of which is (112)x feet wide
similar not similar
and I foot long.
2. liji1j.jfiii.hi Make a paper rectangle, a. Illustrate this in a diagram.
such that the rectangle you get by folding b. What is the length-to-width ratio in the
it in half is similar to the original rectan- original rectangle?
gle. What are the dimensions of your c. What is the length-to-width ratio in
rectangle? (Hint: Remember that if two each of the two new rectangles?
rectangles are similar, their length-to- d. If the rectangles are similar, we can
width ratio must be the same. You may write an equation setting the original
use trial and error on your calculators for ratio equal to the new ratio. Do this,
different sizes.) and find the value of x. Show your
calculations.
3. a. Sketch a 16-unit-by-12-unit rectangle
on graph paper. What is the length-to- 7. Summarize your findings from
width ratio?
problems I through 6. Include sketches
b. Divide the rectangle in half to get one and examples. Describe any patterns you
having length 12 and width 8. (The noticed. For the rectangles you found in
width of the original rectangle becomes problem 5b, what was the common ratio?
the length of the new rectangle.) What What was the common ratio for the rectan-
is the length-to-width ratio? gle you found in problem 2')

4484 Chapter 14 Ratios and Roots

 14.1

THE INIERNATIONAt PAPER STAN [)lARD We can express this similarity by writing two
equal ratios,
In 1930 an international standard was L_W
established for paper sizes, called the A-series, W- lL
The basic size is AO, which is one square 3

meter in area, If you fold it in half, you get Multiplying both sides of the equation by W:
paper of size A I , You can fold A I in half to
get A2, fold A2 in half to get A3, etc. The
dimensions of AO were chosen so that all
w(;)= w(~:)
paper sizes in the series are similar to each L=~
w'
lL
other and to AO, 3

and then by ~ L, we get the equation:

A2 ~ L2 = w2
AI 9. Show how to find L, the length of the
A4 original rectangle, if the width is the
A3
following:
a, 1 b, 2 C, W
AO
10, What is the ratio of length to width in
8. \) Find the dimensions, to the nearest mil- each of the rectangles in problem 9?
limeter, of AO and AL
Dynamic rectangles are named for their ratio
El¥NAIYI:IJC RECTANGLES of length to width. These two rectangles are
The special rectangles you discovered in the both called f5 rectangles because the ratio of
previous section each have the property that length to width in each of them is [5,
half of the rectangle is similar to the whole.
They are examples of a group of rectangles,
called dynamic rectangles, that are very useful
to artists and designers, Dynamic rectangles
have the property that when you cut them into
a certain number of equal parts, each of the
parts is similar to the whole,
The rectangle below is divided into three parts, 11. .... Into how many equal parts would you
each one of which is similar to the original divide a f5 rectangle in order to make
rectangle. each of the parts similar to the original
rectangle? Explain how you figured this
out, showing your work

14,1 Rectangle Ratios 4854

 14.1
12. A rectangle is divided into seven parts, a. To find the length x of the original rec-
each of which is similar to the original tangle, Tara wrote:
rectangle. X 1
I
a. Give possible dimensions (length and -x
n
width) for the rectangle. Explain why Tara wrote this proportion.
b. Give another set of possible b. Solve this equation for x.
dimensions.
c. Summarize your results in words.
c. What is the ratio oflength to width?
13. .... A rectangle having width one unit is 14.'l'f1¥ii§jl Many artists and designers use
divided into n equal parts, each of which is mathematics. Do some research to find out
similar to the original rectangle. why dynamic rectangles are so useful in
art and design. Then make your own
design based on dynamic rectangles.

INTERESTING NUMBERS NUMBERS AND THEIR

RECIPROCALS
15. Find a number that is one more than its
reciprocal. If possible, find or estimate the number
described. Explain how you found it. (If there
16. Find a number that is one less than its is more than one number that fits the descrip-
square. tion, try to find as many as possible.)
17. The number equals its reciprocal.
18. The number is four more than its
reciprocal.
19. The number is one more than twice its
reciprocal.
20. The number does not have a reciprocal.

4486 Chapter 14 Ratios and Roots