Definition
Ratio
An ordered comparison showing how much of one quantity goes with another.
Continue from this idea into connected AXIO math.
Boundary check: The order is solid to hatched: 6 : 4, not 4 : 6.
What it means
A ratio pairs two amounts in a chosen order. A ratio of 3:2 means 3 of the first quantity for every 2 of the second, so switching the order changes the comparison.
Remember it
Name the order, then keep the order.
Example
A tray has 6 strawberries and 4 grapes. The strawberry-to-grape ratio is 6:4, which simplifies to 3:2. The grape-to-strawberry ratio is 4:6, or 2:3.
Watch for
A ratio can compare part to part or part to whole, but the quantities and their order must be named clearly.
Common mix-up
The ratios 2:3 and 3:2 compare in opposite directions, so they are not the same ratio.
Exact meaning
A ratio is an ordered multiplicative comparison of two quantities. The ratio of a to b can be written a:b or a/b; when it is treated as a quotient, b must not be zero.