What is A Ratio?
A "ratio" is just a comparison between two different things.
Example:
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 comes first, its number must come first too.
If the expression had been;
"The ratio of women to men", then the ratio would have been "20 to 15".)
There are three ways a Ratio can be written;
You should be able to recognize all three forms!
Practice Makes Perfect...
Given the numbers, you should be able to write down the ratios. For example:
- There are 16 ducks and 9 geese in a certain park. Express the ratio of ducks to geese in all three formats.
16 : 9, 16/9, 16 to 9
- Consider the above park. Express the ratio of geese to ducks in all three formats.
9 : 16, 9/16, 9 to 16
