GCSE · Direct & inverse proportion

Inverse proportionExam-style questions

Why "inversely proportional" means the product stays fixed, how worker-time problems really work, and how to tell inverse proportion apart from direct.

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15 questions · GCSE (Higher) level · mark scheme and worked solution on each · no sign-up to try

DifficultyAll Level 1 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5

1
4 identical pumps can empty a tank in 18 hours.

All 4 pumps run for the first 6 hours, and then one pump breaks down. How many more hours do the remaining 3 pumps take to finish emptying the tank?
Level 5 · 4 marksTry it
2
A job takes $10$ workers exactly $12$ days.

All $10$ workers work for the first $4$ days. Then $2$ workers leave, and the remaining $8$ finish the job.

Work out the total number of days the job takes.
Level 5 · 4 marksTry it