Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Business Calculations Practice Test

A proportion can be described as:

1. never equal to 1

2. a fraction

3. always equal to 1

4. a statement showing that two ratios are equal

The correct answer is: a statement showing that two ratios are equal

A proportion is fundamentally a statement that asserts the equality of two ratios. This means it expresses a relationship where one fraction is equivalent to another, indicating that the relationship between the two quantities represented by the ratios is maintained. For instance, if you have the proportion a/b = c/d, this signifies that the relationship of 'a' to 'b' is the same as that of 'c' to 'd', confirming that both ratios yield the same value when simplified. In contrast, the other choices do not accurately describe a proportion. A proportion is not limited to specific numerical values like 1; instead, it can be equal to any value based on the ratios presented. Likewise, describing a proportion as merely a fraction undermines its nature since while fractions can be part of a proportion, it specifically refers to the equality of two such fractions or ratios. Lastly, stating that a proportion is always equal to 1 is misleading, as proportions can be equal to a variety of values, not just one. Thus, the characterization of a proportion as a statement showing that two ratios are equal encompasses its definition correctly.