What is a ratio?
A "ratio" is just a comparison between two different things. For instance, someone can look at a group of people, count noses, and refer to the "ratio of men to women" in the group. Suppose there are thirty-five people, fifteen of whom are men.
Then the ratio of men to women is 15 to 20.
Notice that, in the expression "the ratio of men to women", "men" came first. This order is very important, and must be respected: whichever word came first, its number must come first. If the expression had been "the ratio of women to men", then the numbers would have been "20 to 15".
Given a pair of numbers, you should be able to write down the ratios.
For example:
There are 16 students with sneakers on and 9 students with sandals on. Express the ratio of students with sneakers to students with sandals in all three formats.
16:9, 16 , 16 to 9
9
What is a proportion? A proportion is an equation with a ratio on each side. It is a statement that two ratios are equal.
3/4 = 6/8 is an example of a proportion.
When one of the four numbers in a proportion is unknown, cross products may be used to find the unknown number. This is called solving the proportion.
Example:
Solve for n: 1/2 = n/4.
Using cross products we see that 2 × n = 1 × 4 =4, so 2 × n = 4. Dividing both sides by 2, n = 4 ÷ 2 so that n = 2.
Comparing Ratios! To compare ratios, write them as fractions. The ratios are equal if they are equal when written as fractions.
Example:
Are the ratios 3 to 4 and 6:8 equal?
The ratios are equal if 3/4 = 6/8.
These are equal if their cross products are equal; that is, if 3 × 8 = 4 × 6. Since both of these products equal 24, the answer is yes, the ratios are equal.
Remember to be careful! Order matters!
A ratio of 1:7 is not the same as a ratio of 7:1.
Examples:
Are the ratios 7:1 and 4:81 equal? No!
7/1 > 1, but 4/81 < 1, so the ratios can't be equal.
Are 7:14 and 36:72 equal?
Notice that 7/14 and 36/72 are both equal to 1/2, so the two ratios are equal
A "ratio" is just a comparison between two different things. For instance, someone can look at a group of people, count noses, and refer to the "ratio of men to women" in the group. Suppose there are thirty-five people, fifteen of whom are men.
Then the ratio of men to women is 15 to 20.
Notice that, in the expression "the ratio of men to women", "men" came first. This order is very important, and must be respected: whichever word came first, its number must come first. If the expression had been "the ratio of women to men", then the numbers would have been "20 to 15".
Given a pair of numbers, you should be able to write down the ratios.
For example:
There are 16 students with sneakers on and 9 students with sandals on. Express the ratio of students with sneakers to students with sandals in all three formats.
16:9, 16 , 16 to 9
9
What is a proportion? A proportion is an equation with a ratio on each side. It is a statement that two ratios are equal.
3/4 = 6/8 is an example of a proportion.
When one of the four numbers in a proportion is unknown, cross products may be used to find the unknown number. This is called solving the proportion.
Example:
Solve for n: 1/2 = n/4.
Using cross products we see that 2 × n = 1 × 4 =4, so 2 × n = 4. Dividing both sides by 2, n = 4 ÷ 2 so that n = 2.
Comparing Ratios! To compare ratios, write them as fractions. The ratios are equal if they are equal when written as fractions.
Example:
Are the ratios 3 to 4 and 6:8 equal?
The ratios are equal if 3/4 = 6/8.
These are equal if their cross products are equal; that is, if 3 × 8 = 4 × 6. Since both of these products equal 24, the answer is yes, the ratios are equal.
Remember to be careful! Order matters!
A ratio of 1:7 is not the same as a ratio of 7:1.
Examples:
Are the ratios 7:1 and 4:81 equal? No!
7/1 > 1, but 4/81 < 1, so the ratios can't be equal.
Are 7:14 and 36:72 equal?
Notice that 7/14 and 36/72 are both equal to 1/2, so the two ratios are equal