Ratio questions reward one habit: find the value of one part first. Share £35 in ratio 2:3 and you have 5 parts, so £35 divided by 5 gives £7 per part, which means £14 and £21. That single idea, the value of one part, unlocks almost every ratio and proportion question in the 11+, and this guide teaches it step by step alongside free, graded worksheets you can download right now.
What 11+ ratio and proportion questions actually test
At 11+ level, ratio and proportion is a cluster of closely linked skills rather than one topic. In the current GL Assessment-dominated landscape (GL now runs most regional 11+ exams after CEM's separate tests were phased out around 2022-2023), the most common ratio questions cover:
- Simplifying ratios to their lowest terms, for example 12:18 becomes 2:3 by dividing both sides by 6.
- Sharing an amount in a given ratio, including unequal shares such as splitting 48 sweets in the ratio 5:3.
- Scaling recipes and quantities up or down, a favourite context because it feels real to a Year 5 or 6 child.
- Direct proportion (more of one means proportionally more of the other) and simple inverse proportion (more workers, less time).
- Finding the whole from a part, for instance if 3 parts are worth £21, what is the total?
Our free worksheet library grades every one of these across four tiers, Foundation, Developing, Secure and Greater Depth, so a child enters at their level and climbs. You can browse the full set in the worksheet library under the Maths tab.
The one-part method, worked step by step
Nearly every sharing question yields to the same four steps. Here is the method in full, using the question: Share 720 g of flour between two bowls in the ratio 4:5.
- Add the ratio parts: 4 + 5 = 9 total parts.
- Find the value of one part: 720 g divided by 9 = 80 g per part.
- Multiply each share: 4 x 80 = 320 g, and 5 x 80 = 400 g.
- Check by adding back: 320 + 400 = 720 g. Correct.
That final check is the habit that saves marks. If your two shares do not add back to the original total, you have made a slip somewhere and can catch it before moving on.
Finding the whole from a part
Reverse questions trip up children who only practise the standard sharing style. Try: Amir and Bea share money in the ratio 3:4. Bea receives £28. How much was shared in total?
- Bea's share is 4 parts, worth £28, so one part = £28 divided by 4 = £7.
- The total is 3 + 4 = 7 parts, so 7 x £7 = £49 shared altogether.
Notice you still find the value of one part first. Whatever the wording, that step is your anchor.
Scaling recipes and direct proportion
Recipe questions are really direct proportion in disguise. If a recipe for 4 people needs 200 g of pasta, how much for 10 people? Find the amount for one person (200 divided by 4 = 50 g), then multiply by 10 to get 500 g. The quick reference below shows the two proportion patterns children must recognise.
| Type | Clue in the question | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Direct proportion | More people, more ingredients | Both go up (or down) together |
| Inverse proportion | More workers, less time | One goes up as the other goes down |
A common inverse example: if 3 painters take 8 hours, how long for 6 painters? Total work is 3 x 8 = 24 painter-hours, so 24 divided by 6 = 4 hours. Doubling the painters halves the time.
Common mistakes and 11+ exam traps
Ratio is a top mark-loser precisely because the errors are subtle rather than silly. Watch for these:
- Confusing a part with the whole. In 2:3, the first share is two-fifths of the total, not one-half. Always divide by the sum of the parts.
- Forgetting to simplify. If the answer sheet lists ratios in lowest terms, an unsimplified 4:6 may not match option 2:3.
- Reading the last sentence too fast. The question often asks for one specific share or the difference between shares, not both amounts.
- Mismatched units. Convert everything to the same unit (all grams, all pence) before you divide.
- Ratio versus fraction slips. A ratio of 1:4 means the smaller quantity is one-fifth of the total, a classic multiple-choice distractor.
How ratio appears in a real GL 11+ paper
A typical GL maths paper runs around 50 questions in roughly 50 minutes, giving you about one minute per question, multiple-choice with answers A to E marked on a separate OMR answer sheet, and no calculator. Ratio questions usually appear as one-step or two-step word problems, and the wrong-answer options are designed to catch the exact traps above: the unsimplified ratio, the part mistaken for the whole, or the wrong share. Speed matters, so practise the one-part method until it is automatic. Your raw score is later converted to a Standard Age Score (SAS, roughly 69-141, with 100 as the average and many grammar schools looking for around 111 or above), and that score is age-adjusted so younger pupils in the year are not disadvantaged. To rehearse ratio under real timing, drop into full timed mock papers or a centre-matched paper from the centre-specific mocks. If your region uses GL, the GL papers hub shows the exact style; Essex CSSE and some independent papers can ask ratio with free-response working instead of multiple choice.
Difficulty progression: Year 5 versus Year 6
The same skill scales in demand across the year groups, which is why our tiers matter.
- Year 4/5 (Foundation to Developing): Share 20 marbles in the ratio 1:3. Small numbers, one clean division, whole-number answers.
- Year 6 (Secure to Greater Depth): A recipe for 6 people uses 450 g of rice and serves in the ratio 2:1 between adults and children. How much rice per child's portion? Multi-step, mixed contexts, and answers that demand careful unit tracking.
Build from the easier version until the method is secure, then push into exam-level questions so the wording stops surprising your child.
Frequently asked questions
Is a calculator allowed in the 11+ maths paper?
No. GL 11+ maths papers are non-calculator, so children need fluent mental methods and quick written working. That is exactly why the one-part method is worth drilling.
How many ratio questions will my child see?
It varies by paper and region, but ratio and proportion typically make up a handful of questions within a 50-question GL paper. They are high value because they combine several skills, so they reward focused practice.
What age should we start ratio practice?
Year 5 is ideal for the core sharing method, with Year 6 used to build speed and tackle multi-step questions. Younger, confident pupils can begin the Foundation tier earlier.
Every ratio and proportion worksheet, with answer keys and OMR sheets, is free in our library under the Maths tab. No card, no email wall. To see the topic inside full papers, pair the worksheets with the mock library and track your progress on the revision hub.