MathsFreePrintable

Natural Objects Math Exploration

A free maths worksheet ready for your classroom. Open in Kuraplan to grab the print-ready PDF, customize it for your students, or generate a fresh version in seconds.

Download now

Name:Date:

Natural Objects Math Exploration

A conservation team is preparing natural-object displays for a visitor centre. Use ratios to plan each display. Simplify ratios where possible, and show your working.

Build the displays

1.A display has 12 green leaves and 8 brown leaves. Write the ratio of green leaves to brown leaves, then simplify it.

2.For the same display, what fraction of the leaves are green? Give your answer in simplest form.

3.A pebble tray uses 3 smooth pebbles for every 5 rough pebbles. If there are 15 smooth pebbles, how many rough pebbles are needed?

Scale up and compare

4.A shell arrangement has a ratio of small shells to large shells of 4:3. Complete the equivalent ratio if there are 28 small shells: : .

5.Two nature packs contain fern fronds and seed pods. Pack A has 6 fronds and 9 pods; Pack B has 8 fronds and 12 pods. Are the frond-to-pod ratios equivalent? Explain briefly.

6.A mixed collection contains 18 leaves, 12 stones and 6 shells. Write the ratio of leaves to all the other objects combined in simplest form.

7.A student says the ratio 2:5 is the same as 5:2 because both use the same numbers. Is the student correct? Choose the best explanation.

Yes; ratios can be reversed without changing their meaning.
No; the order names which quantity is compared first, so 2:5 and 5:2 describe different comparisons.
Yes; both ratios simplify to 1:1.

Solve the field-kit puzzle

8.The field kit contains 30 objects. The ratio of leaves to stones to shells is 3:2:1. How many of each object are in the kit?

9.A display uses green leaves and brown leaves in the ratio 5:3. There are 40 leaves altogether. How many are green and how many are brown? Show how you used the parts of the ratio.

10.Create a natural-object display using a ratio of your choice. Name the two kinds of objects, give a ratio with at least one number greater than 1, then scale it up to a collection twice as large. Show both ratios.