Hey there, teachers! 👋
It’s Robin, your Math Praxis bestie, and today we’re talking about one of the most talked-about questions on the Praxis 5164 Middle School Math Exam — the infamous “pigs, cows, and chickens” ratio problem. This Praxis 5164 Middle School Math ratio problem is simplified for you with one easy chart!
If you’ve seen this one before, you know it can look confusing at first glance. But don’t worry — I’ve got a shortcut that makes it super easy to solve!
🐷 The Problem Setup
Here’s the kind of question you might see:
A bag contains green, yellow, and orange marbles.
The ratio of green to yellow marbles is 3 : 7, and the ratio of yellow to orange marbles is 2 : 5.What is the ratio of green to orange marbles?
Looks simple enough — but when you start setting up proportions, it can get messy fast. Let’s fix that.
✨ The Shortcut: Use a Quick Ratio Chart
Instead of juggling proportions, we’ll use a simple ratio chart.
Now, here’s the trick:
Find the common link between the two ratios (in this case, yellow).
To connect them properly, multiply across to make yellow’s values match.
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Multiply the entire first ratio (3 : 7) by 2 → 6 : 14
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Multiply the entire second ratio (2 : 5) by 7 → 14 : 35
Now that yellow matches (14), we can link green to orange directly:
Green : Orange = 6 : 35
🎉 And that’s it! No fractions, no confusion — just one clean chart and quick multiplication.
💡 Why This Trick Works
Ratio chains like these appear all over the Praxis 5164 because they test your ability to connect proportional relationships.
The key is finding the least common multiple of the “middle” ratio (the shared category) — and this chart method makes it visual and quick.
You can use this same approach for any problem that says something like:
A : B and B : C — find A : C
🎁 Want More Praxis Math 5164 Shortcuts?
If you liked this tip, you’ll love my FREE Praxis Math Workshop — it’s packed with simple strategies that help teachers just like you finally feel confident going into the Praxis 5164 exam.
👉 Sign up for the free workshop here!
You’ll learn:
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My favorite test-day time savers
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What question types show up again and again
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How to build math confidence — even if it’s been a while since you’ve taken a test!
📘 Looking for More Practice?
Check out my Ultimate Math Praxis Toolkit — it’s filled with practice questions, topic reviews, and ready-to-use study guides that teachers rave about!
💬 Let’s Keep Practicing Together
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You’ve got this — and I’m cheering you on every step of the way! 💪
— Robin
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