Words / B2

RAYSH-ee-oh/ˈreɪʃiəʊ/

A ratio compares two amounts: a ratio of 3:1; the ratio of boys to girls. Fraction is part of a whole; rate is often per unit time (next pool). Give the ratio, not just the totals. Mix-up: ration is a limited allowance. Do not write ratio when you mean a percentage alone.

Meaning

A comparison of two amounts, showing how many times one contains the other.

Examples

• “Give the ratio of boys to girls in the sample, not just the totals.”
• “A gear ratio featured in the design paper, which is the engineering sense.”

Good to know

a ratio of A to B; in a ratio of. Contrast: percentage / rate. Trap: ration. Maths, methods, and design. Comparison of two quantities.

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