Proportions Math Problem: Comparing Pizza Sizes and Material Requirements

  • Thread starter halvizo1031
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In summary, the conversation discusses whether a pizza with a 20cm diameter requires half the raw materials of a pizza with a 40cm diameter. It is determined that the larger pizza requires four times the amount of raw materials. The pricing structure for the pizza is then discussed, and it is concluded that the relationship between price and diameter would be quadratic. This is because as the diameter doubles, the raw materials quadruple, and thus the price should also quadruple.
  • #1
halvizo1031
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Homework Statement



T or F? a pizza with 20cm diameter will require approximately half of the raw materials of pizza of diameter 40cm. explain your answer.

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



my thinking is this, if we take the area of both pizzas, then we get 100(pi) and 400(pi) respectively. thus, since one pizza is four times the size of the other, then it would require four times the amount of raw materials as the other. am i correct?
 
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  • #2


halvizo1031 said:

Homework Statement



T or F? a pizza with 20cm diameter will require approximately half of the raw materials of pizza of diameter 40cm. explain your answer.

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



my thinking is this, if we take the area of both pizzas, then we get 100(pi) and 400(pi) respectively. thus, since one pizza is four times the size of the other, then it would require four times the amount of raw materials as the other. am i correct?

Looks good to me. What kind of pizza are we talking about here? :tongue2:
 
  • #3


halvizo1031 said:

Homework Statement



T or F? a pizza with 20cm diameter will require approximately half of the raw materials of pizza of diameter 40cm. explain your answer.

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



my thinking is this, if we take the area of both pizzas, then we get 100(pi) and 400(pi) respectively. thus, since one pizza is four times the size of the other, then it would require four times the amount of raw materials as the other. am i correct?
Yes. If you double the diameter of a circle, you don't double its area: you quadruple it. Don't forget to include your answer, T or F.
 
  • #4


now the second part of this question says that suppose that the price of each pizza will be directly proportional to the amount of raw materials you use. if you were to model your pricing structure as "price as a function of diameter", then would you expect that model to be linear, quadratic, or other?

wouldn't this depend on what i decide to charge for each pizza? for example, if i decide to charge $1 for every inch in diameter, then my model would be linear.
 
  • #5


halvizo1031 said:
now the second part of this question says that suppose that the price of each pizza will be directly proportional to the amount of raw materials you use. if you were to model your pricing structure as "price as a function of diameter", then would you expect that model to be linear, quadratic, or other?

wouldn't this depend on what i decide to charge for each pizza? for example, if i decide to charge $1 for every inch in diameter, then my model would be linear.

Remember that price is directly proportional to raw materials, that is, that P=c1M, where P is price, M is materials, and c is some constant. Now, referring to your previous problem, what's the relation between raw materials and diameter?
 
  • #6


Depends if it's a cheese pizza or not.

And the problem is implying that you charge based on the cost of the raw materials. Something with twice the amount of raw materials, you'd want to sell for twice the price.
 
  • #7


well as we doubled the diameter, the raw materials quadrupled.
 
  • #8


halvizo1031 said:
well as we doubled the diameter, the raw materials quadrupled.

Correct. So obviously raw materials aren't linear with diameter, and price is linear with raw materials. So what does that say about price's relationship with diameter?
 
  • #9


it seems to me that it would be quadratic.
 
  • #10


reason i say quadratic is because if a 10cm is $5, and a 20cm take four times the amount of raw materials, then it should cost four times the amount of a 10cm pizza. thus, it would cost $20.
 
Last edited:
  • #11


Yes, that's right. Something to consider is whether the sauce and toppings are the same thickness on both sizes of pizza. If they're thicker on the larger pizza, then you would need to take that into account. In this problem, though, I don't think that's a concern.
 

What is a proportion math problem?

A proportion math problem is a type of numerical problem that involves comparing two ratios or fractions. In a proportion, the two ratios are equal to each other, and the goal is to find the missing value in one of the ratios.

What are the key components of a proportion math problem?

The key components of a proportion math problem are the two ratios or fractions that are being compared, and the missing value that needs to be found. It is important to set up the problem correctly and identify which values are known and which one is unknown.

How do you solve a proportion math problem?

To solve a proportion math problem, you can use the cross-multiplication method. This involves multiplying the numerator of one ratio by the denominator of the other ratio, and then setting the two products equal to each other. This will give you an equation that you can solve to find the missing value.

What are some real-life applications of proportion math problems?

Proportion math problems are commonly used in cooking and baking, where ingredients need to be adjusted to make different amounts of a recipe. They are also used in finance to calculate interest rates and in engineering to scale drawings and models.

What are some common mistakes people make when solving proportion math problems?

One common mistake is setting up the problem incorrectly, which can lead to the wrong answer. Another mistake is forgetting to simplify the fractions before solving the problem, which can make the calculations more complicated. It is also important to pay attention to units and make sure they are consistent throughout the problem.

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