Question

What does a 2:1 ratio mean?

Answer 1

A ratio is a comparison between two (or more) different quantities of the same unit.

A ratio does not tell us how many there are altogether, only how their numbers compare.

For example if the numbers of boys and girls at a hockey match are in the ratio `2:1` , we know the following information:

• There are more boys than girls.

• There are 2 boys for every girl

• The number of boys is double the number of girls, which is the same as saying there are half as many girls as boys.

• We do not know the total number of people at the match, but we do know that it is a multiple of 3.

• `2/3` of the group are boys and `1/3` are girls.

If we are told that there are 720 people at the match, we will know that there are 480 boys and 240 girls.

`2/3 xx 720 = 480 " boys" and 1/3 xx 720 = 240 " girls"`

Answer 2

The number is split into two parts such that one is twice as large as the other.

Explanation:

For example, if you split 12 as a 2:1 ratio, you get 8 and 4 (one part twice is large as the other).

In general terms, you can work out the values like this:

`Ratio: a:b`
`Number =x`
`=(x/[a+b]).a : (x/[a+b]).b`