Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a ratio and proportion?
Jenn, Founder Calcworkshop®, 15+ Years Experience (Licensed & Certified Teacher)
Well, a ratio is the comparison of two or more numbers by division.
Wait!
That means a ratio is nothing more than a fraction.
And an equation that states two ratios (fractions) are equal to each other is called a proportion.
Comparing Two Ratios
In other words, if we have one fraction equal to another fraction then we have a proportion!
Why is this important?
Ratios enable us to easily compare one thing to anther, like quantities or shapes, as Math is Fun so nicely states.
In fact, we use ratios in cooking, sports, measuring, and business. Such as, we can compare centimeters to meters, hours to days, wins to losses, teaspoons to tablespoons, etc. And these are just a few examples of how we use ratios in everyday life.
Solving Proportions using Cross Multiplication
Now, we’re not just interested in how to create a ratio, but also how to compare and solve two ratios. In other words, we want to solve a proportion.
How do we solve a proportion?
We cross-multiply!
Together, we will use the property of cross-multiplication, along with its variations, to help us solve various proportions.
Moreover, we are going to review not only how to solve linear equations but also quadratic equations (i.e., polynomial equations) as well.
Proportions & Ratios (How-To) – Video
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