How ratio calculator works
A ratio compares two quantities by showing how many times the first contains the second. For example, a ratio of 10 to 4 means the first quantity is 2.5 times the second. Ratios can be written as fractions (10/4), with a colon (10:4), or as decimals (2.5).
This calculator computes the decimal ratio and also simplifies the ratio to its lowest terms by dividing both numbers by their greatest common divisor (GCD). For example, 10:4 simplifies to 5:2 because the GCD of 10 and 4 is 2.
Ratios are used everywhere: in recipes (2 cups flour to 1 cup sugar), in finance (price-to-earnings ratios), in maps (scale ratios), and in probability. The simplified form makes ratios easier to compare and understand.