Ratios

Ratios are mathematical expressions that compare two or more quantities, demonstrating their relative sizes. They can be expressed in various forms, including fractions, decimals, or using the colon (:) symbol. ratios are crucial in diverse fields, from cooking and finance to science and engineering, enabling proportional comparisons, scaling, and the analysis of relationships between different values. They represent the quantitative relationship between things.

Ratios meaning with examples

• In a recipe, the flour-to-sugar ratio might be 2:1. This means for every 2 cups of flour, you need 1 cup of sugar, guiding ingredient proportions for baking. Using ratios keeps recipes consistent.
• A company's debt-to-equity ratio helps assess financial risk. If the ratio is high, it suggests the company relies heavily on debt, raising investment risk. Analysts use these ratios to make recommendations.
• A map's scale is a ratio representing the relationship between distances on the map and actual distances. A 1:100,000 scale means 1 cm on the map equals 100,000 cm in the real world.
• In a chemical reaction, the molar ratio of reactants dictates the amount of each needed. Proper ratios ensure a complete reaction, preventing wastage of materials and leading to the desired outcome.
• The student-to-teacher ratio in a school indicates the number of students per teacher. Lower ratios are often considered beneficial, facilitating more individualized attention and instruction.