Which statement about ratio is true?

• A. It is the difference between two numbers
• B. It is the relationship between two numbers or amounts
• C. It is the sum of two numbers
• D. It is the quotient of two numbers

Answer: (B)

A ratio describes how two quantities relate to each other. It shows the relative size of one amount compared to another, often written as a:b or as a fraction a/b, to express that relationship clearly. For example, if you have 6 apples and 2 oranges, the ratio of apples to oranges is 6:2, which simplifies to 3:1, indicating apples are three times as many as oranges. This idea of comparison is what distinguishes a ratio from simply finding a difference (subtraction) or a sum (addition). While you can represent the same idea with a division (a/b), the core purpose of a ratio is to convey the relationship between two quantities, not just the result of dividing them.