How can one Apply Ratios in Real Life Situations (2024)

Ratios and proportions are a fundamental part of arithmetic and are very useful in our day to day tasks. Suppose we know how ratio and proportion are used in everyday life. In that case, we can use them in various instances like division of items among people, providing a comparison between two or more values and expressing relative values in cases where the exact amount is not necessarily required. Using ratios and proportions in everyday life includes calculating money in foreign currency while travelling abroad, determining how much of an ingredient is required to be used while following a recipe, budgeting out your monthly expenses, etc.

Let us talk about how ratios are calculated first and then move on to how ratios and proportions can be used in everyday life. After learning about this, you will know the importance of ratio and proportion.

Calculation of Ratios

The calculation of ratios is a simple thing. We need to understand that the ratio is always calculated between two or more values, and it expresses the relative amount of the two values. To calculate the ratio of two values, we need to divide them and express them in the form of a fraction. The fraction obtained is the ratio. We need to remember that two fractions having the same value can be used to show the same ratio. For example, the ratios 4:5 and 8:10 have the same value.

Common uses of ratio and proportion in everyday life:

  • Making comparisons

Ratios are used in everyday life to make comparisons in-between values. The ratio of two values directly provides us with the information on how many times one value is bigger or smaller than the other. Let us take the example of cricket. Cricketer 1 scored 242 runs in 5 matches in a particular one-day match series. On the other hand, Cricketer 2 scores 126 runs in the exact matches. If we take the ratio of the two values, we get 242:126 which can be simplified to become 121:63. This ratio means that for every 121 runs Cricketer 1 scored, Cricketer 2 scored 63 runs. Thus the ratio provides information on who scored more runs and how much.

Another use of ratios is in expressing probability and odds. Let us say that we are betting on a horse race and the odds of a particular horse winning are 2:3; this means that the horse wins two races for every three races he loses. Assuming there are no draws, we can conclude that the horse wins two races for every (2 + 3) 5 races he participates in. Hence, we can deduce that this horse loses more races than wins and is not a good pick. Let us take another horse who has odds of winning 4:1. This implies that for every four races the horse wins in, he loses one race. This means that for every five races the horse participates in, it wins four races and is thus clearly a good pick.

  • Calculating absolute values from relative values:

Another example of this is while calculating the values of foreign currencies into domestic currencies. You must have heard that the dollar has fallen or the dollar has risen. This means that the dollar’s relative value to the rupee has decreased or increased respectively. Let us take the example of a person from India who is going on a trip to The USA. Let us assume that he has an amount of 50000 INR, and the dollar is valued at 50 INR. Using basic knowledge of ratios and proportions, he can find out that he has money valued at 1000 US dollars. Similarly, he sees a product worth 25 dollars in the US. Using the same calculations above, he can calculate that the cost of the item is 1250 Indian Rupees.

  • Division of Items:

Ratio and proportion are used in the division of items among people. It is one of the most important uses of ratios in our everyday life. Let us assume that we have 30 candies which are to be divided between 4 boys in the ratio of 1:2:3:4. This ratio of multiple numbers means that if the first boy gets one candy, the second boy gets 2, the third gets 3, and the fourth boy gets four candies. Since we have the total number of candies as 30, we cannot calculate the number of candies each kid receives directly. So let us assume that the first child gets x candies, the second child gets 2x candies, the third child gets 3x candies, and the 4th child gets 4x candies. The sum of x+2x+3x+4x should equal 30, so we get the value of x to be 3. So we get the answer: boy 1 gets three candies, boy 2 gets six candies, boy 3 gets nine candies, and boy 4 gets 12 candies.

Conclusion

Ratios and proportions are a fundamental part of arithmetic and are very useful in our day to day tasks. The ratio is always calculated between two or more values, and it expresses the relative amount of the two values. We need to remember that two fractions having the same value can be used to show the same ratio. For example, the ratios 4:5 and 8:10 have the same value. Ratios are used in everyday life to make comparisons in-between values.

How can one Apply Ratios in Real Life Situations (1)

Frequently asked questions

Get answers to the most common queries related to the SSC Examination Preparation.

What do you mean by ratios?

Answer: A ratio is a fraction obtained by dividing two amounts, and it expresses their relative values.

Can two ratios represent the same relative value? Give an example.

Answer: Yes, two ratios can represent the same relative value. For example, the ratios 4:2 and 2:1 represent the sam...Read full

What are some uses of ratio?

Answer: Ratios can be used in various cases like division of items among people, comparing two or more values and ex...Read full

Give some real-life examples of uses of ratio?

Answer: Calculating the odds of winning a bet, calculating the values of foreign currencies, and dividing salaries a...Read full

How can one Apply Ratios in Real Life Situations (2024)

FAQs

How can one Apply Ratios in Real Life Situations? ›

Ratios, which are mathematical relationships, are excellent real-world examples of math. Cooking, grocery shopping, and getting from one place to another place are 3 main real-life scenarios where ratios are not only common but also necessary for proper, cost-effective performance.

What is the importance of ratio in your life as a student? ›

Ratios are use in discounts, budgeting, and coupons at the grocery store; understanding ratios would also enable student to understand interest on loans and how they are paid off. A basic comprehension of how the world works in a series of ratios and …show more content…

How do we use ratios in real life? ›

Using ratios and proportions in everyday life includes calculating money in foreign currency while travelling abroad, determining how much of an ingredient is required to be used while following a recipe, budgeting out your monthly expenses, etc.

What is an example of an equivalent ratio in real life? ›

The ratio of sugar to butter for 20 cookies is 2/1. So, for 10 cookies you would use 1 cup of sugar and 0.5 stick of butter. This is an equivalent ratio because you divide the numerator and denominator of 2/1 by the same number 2 to get the new ratio 1/0.5.

What are some real life scenarios involving proportions? ›

The amount of gasoline used by a car is directly proportional to the distance the car is driven. In simpler terms, the greater the distance is driven, the more gas is used. Another example of direct proportions in the real world is the relationship between time and distance.

What does ratio mean in real life? ›

Ratios allow us to measure and express quantities by making them easier to understand. Examples of ratios in life: The car was traveling 60 miles per hour, or 60 miles in 1 hour. You have a 1 in 28,000,000 chance of winning the lottery.

How can you apply proportion in everyday life? ›

The more fuel you get filled in your vehicle, the more money you will be required to pay for it. Similarly, if you get less fuel filled, you will have to pay less money. The fuel price will decide the proportion between the quantity of fuel and the amount of money.

What is a real life example of current ratio? ›

For example, company A has cash worth $50,000 plus $100,000 in accounts receivable. Its present-day liabilities, of accounts payable, stands at $100,000. In this situation, the current ratio of company A will be 1.5, which is by dividing its current asset ($150,000) by its current liabilities ($100,000).

What is a real life example of ratio analysis? ›

What Is an Example of Ratio Analysis? Consider the inventory turnover ratio that measures how quickly a company converts inventory to a sale. A company can track its inventory turnover over a full calendar year to see how quickly it converted goods to cash each month.

What can ratios be used for? ›

Ratio, in math, is a term that is used to compare two or more numbers. It is used to indicate how big or small a quantity is when compared to another. In a ratio, two quantities are compared using division. Here the dividend is called the 'antecedent' and the divisor is called the 'consequent'.

How are ratios used in cooking? ›

Whereas conventional recipes use specific ingredient measurements, culinary ratios are a fixed proportion of ingredients to one another. Instead of measuring by cups or pounds, ingredients are defined in “parts” relative to each other in quantity. By using ratios, production can be easily scaled to the desired amount.

How are ratios used in sports? ›

Ratios are used extensively in sports to measure the success rate of a particular task or skill. A sports commentator uses math to calculate, understand and interpret these ratios.

What is a real life example of a ratio? ›

A ratio is a mathematical expression for size difference between two or more variables. The values aren't the real values, but rather a way to compare them. For instance, when a litter of 6 puppies has 4 girls and 2 boys, the girl -to – boy ratio is 4:2 or 2:1. The simplest form is used for writing ratios.

What are some examples of how scale and proportions are used in everyday life? ›

Proportion/scale: It's done all the time in architecture. For example, a room which is 20 x 30 feet requires at least ten or 12 foot ceilings. A room which is 10 feet by 12 feet is awkward if it has 16 foot ceilings.

What are three situations from your daily life in which you see direct proportion? ›

Some real-life examples of direct proportionality are given below: The number of food items is directly proportional to the total money spent. Work done is directly proportional to the number of workers. Speed is in direct proportion to the distance w.r.t a fixed time.

Why is it important for students to learn about ratios? ›

The relationship between fractions, ratios, and proportions is introductory to students' development of the study of Algebra. Therefore, it is important for students to engage in ratio reasoning that positions them to reason proportionally.

Why is the student ratio important? ›

The student-teacher ratio reflects the teacher's workload and how available they are to offer services and care to their students. Many students and teachers find that the lower the number, the better the educational process and learning will be.

Why is ratio important in life? ›

Answer: Ratios are commonly employed in the actual world to compare practical values. The primary purpose of ratios is to establish how much of 1 element exists in relation to another. Ratios are used in everyday chores like cooking & financial transactions.

What is the importance of ratios? ›

Ratio analysis compares line-item data from a company's financial statements to reveal insights regarding profitability, liquidity, operational efficiency, and solvency. Ratio analysis can mark how a company is performing over time, while comparing a company to another within the same industry or sector.

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