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

A ratio is defined as:

1. a comparison of one amount to another

2. always less than 1

3. an equation

4. never equal to 1

The correct answer is: a comparison of one amount to another

A ratio is fundamentally a comparison of one quantity to another, which illustrates the relative sizes or amounts of two or more values. This comparison can involve numbers, measurements, or any quantifiable elements and is often expressed in the form of a fraction, decimal, or with a colon. For instance, if a recipe calls for 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of sugar, the ratio of flour to sugar can be written as 2:1, highlighting how many times larger one value is compared to the other. The other options reflect misconceptions about ratios. While it is possible for a ratio to be less than 1 or equal to 1, this is not a defining characteristic of ratios as a whole. Similarly, referring to ratios as equations is misleading, as a ratio simply presents a relationship rather than establishing equality between two expressions. Therefore, the first choice accurately captures the essence of what a ratio is and its purpose in quantitative comparisons.