Hailey wants to hire someone to paint her house. She researched several independent painters who provided information about the average amount of time it takes them to paint a certain number of square feet of wall space. The three painters with the top ratings are listed in the table below, along with the information they provided. Name Area Painted
(square feet) Time
(hours:minutes)
Richard 288 45
Gerard 825 2:12
Matthew 992 2:35

Part A: Calculate the unit rate for each painter.

Part B: Compare each pair of painters (Richard with Gerard; Gerard with Matthew; Matthew with Richard), and state whether their rates are in a proportional relationship or not (and why) using their respective unit rates as evidence.