How to Use the Ratio vs Percentage Comparison Tool
Enter any two positive numbers and the tool shows them side by side as a simplified ratio and as percentages of the total.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- 1 Enter your first number in field A. This is the first amount in your comparison, like 18 boys.
- 2 Enter your second number in field B. This is the second amount, like 12 girls.
- 3 Switch between the Ratio and Percentage results to see the same pair of numbers expressed both ways.
Understanding the Inputs
First Number (A)
The first number in your comparison. In the ratio it appears on the left of the colon, and as a percentage it is the share of the total that this number represents. For a class of 18 boys and 12 girls, A is 18.
How to find it: Enter the first quantity from your situation. If you are comparing two groups, this is the size of the first group. If you are scaling a recipe with a 2:1 flour to sugar ratio, A is the flour amount.
Why it matters: A anchors the first half of the comparison. Both the simplified ratio and the percentage results are built from the relationship between A and B, so entering the right first number matters.
Type: number · Default: 3
Second Number (B)
The second number in your comparison. In the ratio it appears on the right of the colon, and as a percentage it is the other share of the total. For a class of 18 boys and 12 girls, B is 12.
How to find it: Enter the second quantity from your situation. It pairs with A to form the ratio and to define the total that percentages are measured against.
Why it matters: B completes the pair. The total used for the percentage results is A plus B, so an incorrect second number changes both the ratio and every percentage shown.
Type: number · Default: 2
Tips & Best Practices
- ✓ To convert a ratio to a percentage, add the two sides, divide each side by that total, and multiply by 100.
- ✓ A simplified ratio divides both sides by their greatest common divisor, so 18:12 becomes 3:2.
- ✓ The percentage results always add up to 100% when both parts are shares of the total.
by CalculatorPro Tools · Updated