Direct Variation Worksheet

1. A soap manufacturing company packs 52 soaps per carton. Find the number of soaps that can
be packed in 10 cartons, using a direct variation model.
a. 468
b. 624
c. 572
d. 150

2. Which one of the following is not a direct variation?

a. The amount of gas a person buys and the money he pays
b. Profit and sales
c. Circumference of a circle and its diameter
d. A person′s age and his height

3. If the circumference of a circle varies directly as its diameter, then the constant of variation is
a. 3π
b. 2π
c. 4π
d. π

4. Determine whether the graph represents a direct

variation or not

a. no
b. yes

5. For the given functioon, find its equation if Y varies directly as X.

x y a. y = - 3xx
9 - 27 b. y = 1313xx
- 10 30 c. y = 5xx
- 11 33
d. y = 31xx

6. Determine whether y varies directly as x, if so, write its equation.

a. yy = (6868)xx
b. yy = 0.6xx
XY c. yy does not vary directly as xx
6 8
8 6 d. yy = 1.33 xx
11 2
7. A car runs 18 mi. on 2 gallons of gas. The number of gallons of gas varies directly with the
number of miles the car runs. How many miles will the car run on 4.4 gallons of gas?
 a. 39.6 mi.
b. 2 mi.
c. 9 mi.
d. 18 mi.

8. For the function, yy varies directly as xx. Find the constant of variation and write the equation.

a. - 8, yy = - 8xx
xx yy b.
7 56
1818, xx = 8yy
9 72 c. 8, yy = 8xx
10 80 d. - 1818, yy = (1818)xx

9. For the function, yy varies directly as xx. Find the constant of variation and write the equation.

xx yy a. - 1616, yy = - (1616)xx
66 11 b. 1616, xx = 6yy
42 7
c. 6, yy = 6xx
36 6
d. 6, xx = 1616y
Solution: x2 = (18)(4.4) / 2 = (9)(4.4) = 39.6 mi.
[Simplify.]
1. Let y be the number of soaps and x be the So, the car runs 39.6 mi. on 4.4 gallons of gas.
number of cartons.
Since, the number of soaps and the number of
cartons vary directly, the equation is of the
9. yx = 11 / 66 = 7 / 42 = 6 / 36 = 1 / 6
form y = kx.
So, y varies directly as x, that is y = kx.
As each carton contains 52 soaps, the constant of Constant of proportionality is 1 / 6 .
variation is 52. The equation is y = (1 / 6) x (or) x = 6y.
y = 52x
[Substitute the values.]
y = 52 × 10
[Substitute the values.]
y = 150
[Multiply.]
So, 150 soaps can be packed in 10 cartons.

2. "A person’s age and his height" is

not a direct variation, because people do not
grow at constant rate.

3. Circumference of a circle = 2π r, where r -

radius of the circle.
=πd
[ d = 2 r = diameter.]
So, the constant of variation is π

4. yes

5. yx = - 27 / 9 = 30 / - 10 = 33 / - 11 = - 3

So, y varies directly as x. That is y = kx

The constant of variation is - 3.
So, the equation is y = - 3x.

6. yx = 8 / 6 = 1.33 . But 6 / 8 ≠ 1.33 and 2 / 11 ≠

1.33 .
Since the ratio yx is not a constant, y does not
vary directly as x.

7. Let x be the number of miles the car runs and

let y be the number of gallons of gas used to
travel x miles.
The relation is y = kx.
[Direct variation.]
Let (x1, y1) = (18, 2) and let (x2, y2) = (x2, 4.4)
y2x2 = y1x1
[Write a proportion.]
4.4x2 = 2 / 18
[Replace x1 = 18, y1 = 2, y2 = 4.4.]
x2 = (18)(4.4) / 2 = (9)(4.4) = 39.6 mi.
[Simplify.]
So, the car runs 39.6 mi. on 4.4 gallons of gas.

8. Let x be the number of miles the car runs and

let y be the number of gallons of gas used to
travel x miles.
The relation is y = kx.
[Direct variation.]
Let (x1, y1) = (18, 2) and let (x2, y2) = (x2, 4.4)
y2x2 = y1x1
[Write a proportion.]
4.4x2 = 2 / 18
[Replace x1 = 18, y1 = 2, y2 = 4.4.]