A focused Grade 6 learning session for Finding the Unit Rate using visual models, worked examples, strategy guidance, and a short mastery check.
Student goal: I can solve problems involving finding the unit rate.
Finding the Unit Rate means choosing a model, naming what each number means, and explaining the strategy.
Question: The table below shows the relationship between apples and their cost. Which represents the unit rate?
| Number of Apples | Total Cost |
|---|---|
| 3 | $1.80 |
| 6 | $3.60 |
| 9 | $5.40 |
Why it works: Take any row: \($1.80 \div 3 = $0.60\) per apple. All rows confirm this unit rate.
Answer: \($0.60\) per apple
Question: A grocery receipt shows: Which item has the highest unit price?
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Apples (5 lbs) | $4.50 |
| Cheese (3 lbs) | $12.00 |
| Bread (2 loaves) | $5.00 |
Answer: Cheese
Question: The ratio table shows the cost of different quantities of books. What is the unit price per book?
| Books | 2 | 4 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | $8 | $16 | $24 |
Answer: $4 per book
Question: A grocery store sells \(8\) pounds of rice for \($12\). What is the unit price in dollars per pound?
Why it works: Unit price is total cost divided by number of units: \($12 \div 8 = $1.50\) per pound.
Answer: \($1.50\) per pound
Finding the Unit Rate becomes easier when students connect the question to a model, use clear steps, and explain why the answer fits.
Understand the model before choosing the operation.
Use scratch paper. The explanation matters more than simply seeing whether the choice is correct.
A grocery store sells \(8\) pounds of rice for \($12\). What is the unit price in dollars per pound?
Answer A: \($1.50\) per pound
Unit price is total cost divided by number of units: \($12 \div 8 = $1.50\) per pound.
A car travels \(240\) miles in \(4\) hours. What is the unit rate in miles per hour?
Answer A: \(60\) mph
Divide the total distance by time: \(240 \div 4 = 60\) miles per hour.
A recipe uses \(3\) cups of flour to make \(12\) cookies. How much flour is needed per cookie?
Answer A: \(0.25\) cups
Unit rate: \(3 \div 12 = 0.25\) cups per cookie.
A water fountain fills \(10\) gallons in \(2\) minutes. What is the unit rate in gallons per minute?
Answer B: \(5\) gal/min
Divide total gallons by time: \(10 \div 2 = 5\) gallons per minute.
A store sells \(5\) notebooks for \($7.50\). What is the price per notebook?
Answer B: \($1.50\)
Unit price: \($7.50 \div 5 = $1.50\) per notebook.
The table below shows the relationship between apples and their cost. Which represents the unit rate?
Answer A: \($0.60\) per apple
Take any row: \($1.80 \div 3 = $0.60\) per apple. All rows confirm this unit rate.
A runner completes a race at a constant speed. The double number line shows the distance and time. What is the unit rate in miles per minute?
Answer B: \(0.3\) mi/min
From the double number line, \(3\) miles in \(10\) minutes gives \(3 \div 10 = 0.3\) miles per minute.
Which unit rate is equivalent to \($15\) for \(6\) pounds?
Answer A: \($2.50\) per pound
\($15 \div 6 = $2.50\) per pound. This is the unit rate.
A printer produces \(180\) pages in \(3\) minutes. At this rate, how many pages does it print per minute?
Answer A: \(60\) pages/min
Unit rate: \(180 \div 3 = 60\) pages per minute.
At a bakery, \(4\) loaves of bread cost \($16\). At this rate, what is the cost of \(7\) loaves?
Answer B: \($28\)
Unit rate: \($16 \div 4 = $4\) per loaf. For \(7\) loaves: \(7 \times $4 = $28\).
A grocery receipt shows: Which item has the highest unit price?
Answer B: Cheese
Apples: \($4.50 \div 5 = $0.90\)/lb. Cheese: \($12.00 \div 3 = $4.00\)/lb. Bread: \($5.00 \div 2 = $2.50\)/loaf. Cheese has the highest unit price.
