Ratio Calculator
Simplify a ratio to its lowest terms and find its decimal equivalent.
About the Ratio Calculator
A ratio compares two quantities directly, and simplifying it to the smallest whole numbers that preserve the same relationship makes it far easier to read and communicate — this calculator does exactly that, plus gives the decimal equivalent for quick reference.
How It Works
The calculator finds the greatest common divisor of the two numbers you enter, then divides both numbers by that divisor to reduce the ratio to its simplest whole-number form. It also divides A by B directly to give the decimal equivalent.
Simplified Ratio = A/GCD(A,B) : B/GCD(A,B). Decimal Equivalent = A / B.
Example
Scenario: Simplifying the ratio 12 to 18.
Result: Simplified to 2 : 3, with a decimal equivalent of about 0.667.
Assumptions & Limitations
- Assumes both values are positive whole numbers or can be reasonably treated as such for ratio simplification.
- Works the same regardless of which quantity is entered first, as long as the order is kept consistent with what each number represents.
- For proportional scaling problems (finding an unknown given three known ratio terms), use the Proportion Calculator instead.