School Store Online: What Does “Per” Mean?

Interpret unit rates for online orders, supplies, and packing.

Read the Rate

A unit rate tells how much of one quantity goes with 1 unit of another. Read the order of the units carefully.

The school store sells 5 notebooks online for $15. Which statement gives the cost per notebook?

A. The cost is $5 for each notebook.B. The cost is $3 for each notebook.C. The cost is $10 for each notebook.D. The cost is $15 for each notebook.

A supply box contains 48 pencils in 8 identical packs.

How many pencils are in each pack? pencils per pack

Nia packs online orders at a rate of 4 orders per minute. What does this unit rate mean?

A. She packs 1 order in every 4 minutes.B. She packs 4 orders in every 4 minutes.C. She packs 1 order in every 1 minute.D. She packs 4 orders in every 1 minute.

The ratio of total cost in dollars to number of folders is 14:7. Which expression gives dollars per folder?

A. 14 ÷ 7B. 7 ÷ 14C. 14 × 7D. 14 − 7

Match each online-order ratio to its unit-rate description.

Use the Order Records

Find each requested unit rate. Include only the number in each blank.

These records show three online purchases. Prices do not include delivery fees.

Online Purchases
Item	Quantity	Total cost
Pen	8	$6.00
Binder	4	$14.00
Eraser	10	$5.00

What is the cost per pen? $ per pen

Use the Online Purchases table above. Which price label correctly describes the binder purchase?

A. Binders cost $4.00 each.B. Binders cost $14.00 each.C. Binders cost $3.50 each.D. Binders cost $10.00 each.

Use the Online Purchases table above. This time, describe the eraser purchase using erasers per dollar, not dollars per eraser.

How many erasers does each dollar buy? erasers per dollar

Omar records the time spent packing a batch of online orders.

Packing Record
Orders packed	Minutes spent
8	12

What is the average time per order? minutes per order

10.

The store uses 2 feet of packing tape for 3 small shipping boxes. Describe this as feet of tape per box.

What is the unit rate? foot of tape per box

Choose and Check

Use the meaning of the units to interpret each situation.

11.

The online checkout page needs a delivery fee per order. A delivery service charges $21 to deliver 7 orders. Which statement belongs on the checkout page?

A. Delivery costs $7 per order.B. Delivery costs $21 per order.C. Delivery costs $14 per order.D. Delivery costs $3 per order.

12.

A supplier lists 20 padded envelopes for $8. The store's order form asks for envelopes per dollar. Which statement uses the requested unit rate?

A. The rate is 0.40 envelope per dollar.B. The rate is 2.50 envelopes per dollar.C. The rate is 12 envelopes per dollar.D. The rate is 20 envelopes per dollar.

13.

The store's packing guide says to use 3 sheets of tissue paper for every 2 gift orders. The guide needs a rate per gift order.

How many sheets are used per gift order? sheets per gift order

14.

Luis prints 24 order labels in 6 minutes. He divides 6 by 24 and reports a rate of 0.25 label per minute. Explain his mistake. State the correct labels-per-minute rate and what 0.25 actually describes.