1. What is a Ratio?

A ratio is a quantitative relationship between two numbers showing how many times the first value contains the second. Ratios are used to compare two quantities and are expressed as "a:b" where a and b are the compared values.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the simple formula:

Where:

• Numerator — The top number in a fraction
• Denominator — The bottom number in a fraction

Explanation: The calculator converts any fraction to its ratio equivalent and optionally simplifies it to its lowest terms.

3. Importance of Ratio Calculation

Details: Ratios are fundamental in mathematics, science, engineering, finance, and daily life. They help compare proportions, scale recipes, mix solutions, and understand relationships between quantities.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter both numerator and denominator as positive numbers. The denominator cannot be zero. The calculator will automatically simplify the ratio when possible.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between a fraction and a ratio?
A: A fraction represents a part of a whole, while a ratio compares two quantities. All fractions can be expressed as ratios, but not all ratios represent fractions.

Q2: How do you simplify ratios?
A: Ratios are simplified by dividing both terms by their greatest common divisor (GCD).

Q3: Can ratios have decimals?
A: While ratios are typically expressed with whole numbers, decimal values are mathematically valid. For conventional presentation, it's best to convert decimals to whole numbers by multiplying both terms.

Q4: What are equivalent ratios?
A: Equivalent ratios are different expressions that represent the same relationship between quantities, such as 1:2 and 2:4.

Q5: How are ratios used in real life?
A: Ratios are used in cooking (recipe scaling), construction (blueprint scaling), finance (financial ratios), medicine (drug dosages), and many other practical applications.