What is the Difference Between Ratios and Proportions?
Many students fail to differentiate between the mathematical terms, "ratios," and "proportions." These both have extensive applications in not only mathematics but also in day to day tasks.
Ratios are when we are comparing two values with the same units. When two different ratios are set equal to each other, we call it proportions. Ratios are a simple mathematical expression, while proportions are an equation.
The keyword that helps in identifying a ratio statement is "to every", and it is denoted by a colon. It is a quantitative relationship between two categories. Proportions, on the other hand, are denoted by double colons and are a quantitative relationship of a category and the total.