Ratio and Proportion Calculator: Simplify and Solve

Ratio & Proportion Calculator

Simplify ratios to their simplest form or solve for a missing value in a proportion (A:B = C:D). This tool helps with school homework and practical problems.

Value A

First value of the ratio/proportion

Value B

Second value of the ratio/proportion

Value C

Third value (for proportions)

Value D

Fourth value (for proportions)

Values B and D in a proportion cannot be zero.

How it works

Simplify ratios to their simplest form or solve for a missing value in a proportion (A:B = C:D). This tool helps with school homework and practical problems.

The Formula

For simplification: A:B
For proportion: A/B = C/D

Worked Example

Example: Solving a Proportion
If a recipe requires 2 cups of flour for every 3 cups of sugar (a ratio of 2:3), and you want to use 6 cups of flour, how much sugar (X) do you need? You would set up the proportion as 2:3 = 6:X. Enter A=2, B=3, C=6, and leave D empty. The calculator will find X.

Tips, Assumptions & Limitations

For ratio simplification, enter only values A and B.
For solving a proportion, enter three values and leave one empty.
To check if two ratios are proportional, enter all four values (A, B, C, D).

FAQ

A ratio is a comparison of two or more quantities of the same kind. It shows how much of one quantity there is compared to another. Ratios can be written as A:B, A/B, or 'A to B'.

A proportion is an equation that states that two ratios are equal. For example, A:B = C:D (read as 'A is to B as C is to D') is a proportion. Proportions are used to solve for unknown values when scaling recipes, mixing solutions, or comparing similar figures.

To simplify a ratio like A:B, you find the greatest common divisor (GCD) of A and B, then divide both A and B by the GCD. For example, to simplify 12:18, the GCD of 12 and 18 is 6. Dividing both by 6 gives the simplified ratio 2:3.

Yes, for solving proportions (finding a missing value or checking proportionality), you can use decimal numbers. However, for simplifying a ratio (entering only A and B), the calculator expects whole numbers for standard simplification.