Grade 6 Math · Topic 05
A rate compares two amounts of different kinds, like miles and hours, or dollars and pounds. A unit rate is a rate per one of something — like miles per hour or dollars per pound. Unit rates make comparison shopping, speed checking, and recipe scaling easy.
Lesson alignment: 6.RP.A.2 · Take your time. You can return to this lesson whenever you need it.
Explore visually
Divide each amount by its number of units. The bars make the two unit rates easy to compare.
Think first: Which option do you think gives more for each one unit? Estimate before comparing the bars.
Swipe horizontally to see the full diagram.
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Read each step, then cover the explanation and see if you can explain why it works.
Worked example 1
To find the one-minute rate, divide pages by minutes: 84 ÷ 6 = 14. So the printer prints 14 pages per minute. The unit rate is 14 pages/min.
Answer: 14 pages/min
Worked example 2
To compare fairly, find the price for one apple: 6 ÷ 15 = 0.40. Each apple costs $0.40. (Always check: 0.40 × 15 = $6. ✓)
Answer: $0.40 per apple
Work these on paper first. Open “Check” when you are ready to compare your answer.
$4 per shirt
60 miles per hour
$3 per book
12 words per minute
$4 per donut
36 beats per minute
$8 per ticket
15 pages per day
Lina runs 3 miles in 24 minutes. What is her speed in minutes per mile?
Answer: 8 minutes per mile.
Divide minutes by miles: 24 ÷ 3 = 8. Lina runs at 8 min/mile.
A 10-pack of pens costs $4.50. What is the cost per pen?
Answer: $0.45 per pen.
Divide cost by quantity: 4.50 ÷ 10 = 0.45.
Fresh questions · saved on this device
Try a fresh set each time. Answer one question, check your thinking, and read the explanation. If you miss one, return to the visual model and try another round.
Answer these five questions on your own. You can review the explanations after you submit and try again whenever you like. This short check is for practice, not a grade.
Try the linked topic quiz for more practice. If something is tricky, return to the example and look for the step that changes the numbers or representation.
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