Ratio Calculator
Simplify, scale and solve ratio proportions
Simplified Ratio
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What is a ratio?
A ratio compares two or more quantities. Ratios appear in cooking (flour:sugar), construction (cement:sand:gravel), maps (1:50,000), finance (debt:equity), and probability. This calculator simplifies ratios, scales them, and solves missing values in proportions.
Formula used
Simplify: divide both by GCD(a,b)
Example: 12:8 → GCD=4 → 3:2
Scale: multiply both by factor
3:4 scaled ×5 → 15:20
Proportion (A:B = C:D):
Missing D = (B × C) ÷ A
How to use this calculator
- Simplify tab: enter two numbers → simplified ratio shown instantly
- Scale tab: enter ratio and scale factor
- Proportion tab: enter 3 of 4 values → click Solve for the missing one
Example
Example 1 — Simplify a recipe:
Flour:Sugar:Butter = 300:150:75 → divide all by 75 → 4:2:1
Example 2 — Scale recipe for 10 (original serves 4):
Scale factor = 10÷4 = 2.5 | 2 cups flour : 3 cups water × 2.5 → 5 cups : 7.5 cups
Example 3 — Map distance:
Map scale 1:50,000 | Road measures 4.5 cm on map
Real distance = 4.5 × 50,000 = 225,000 cm = 2.25 km
Example 4 — Debt:Equity ratio:
Company debt ₹8L, equity ₹20L → 8:20 → simplified 2:5 (healthy)
Frequently asked questions
A ratio (3:2) compares two quantities. A fraction (3/5) represents part of a whole. The ratio 3:2 can become the fraction 3/(3+2)=3/5 for the first part and 2/5 for the second.
Convert to fraction: 3:2 → first part = 3/(3+2) = 60%. Second = 40%.
Equal parts of both quantities — e.g., 1:1 water to vinegar means equal volumes of each.