Learning target: A rate compares quantities with different units. A unit rate tells how much of one quantity there is for one unit of another.
STEP 01
Rates compare different units
A rate might compare miles with hours, dollars with notebooks, or pages with minutes.
Example
150 miles / 3 hours
This is a rate because the measurements use different units.
STEP 02
Unit rates are “per one”
Divide to find the amount for one unit of the second quantity.
Example
150 ÷ 3 = 50 miles per hour
The unit rate is 50 miles per 1 hour.
STEP 03
Rate vs. ratio vs. neither
Comparing 8 red tiles to 12 blue tiles is a ratio of counts with the same units, not a rate. A single measurement, such as “the table is 5 feet long,” is neither a rate nor a unit rate.
Try it: $18 for 6 tickets. What is the unit rate?
18 ÷ 6 = $3 per ticket.
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