What you’ll learn to do: Write ratios as fractions and calculate unit rates

How can you compare prices on packages of different sizes?

When you go grocery shopping, do you sometimes find it difficult to compare prices when you’re choosing between packages of different sizes or quantities of an item? For example, imagine you want to buy a block of cheese. One brand is $4.99 for a 16-ounce brick. Another brand is on sale for $6.99 for a 24-ounce brick. Which one is the better deal? To make sure you get the most for your money, you’ll need to figure out the price of cheese per ounce so that you can compare equal quantities. In this section, we’ll explore ratios and rates, which will help you calculate unit rates and unit prices.

Before you get started, take this readiness quiz.