Ratio
calculator
Simplify 48:36 to lowest terms, or solve the missing piece of A:B = C:x — the proportion math behind recipes, maps, screens and scale models, done instantly.
Ratios: division wearing a colon
A ratio compares two quantities by division. Simplifying means dividing both sides by their greatest common factor — 48:36 shares a GCF of 12, so it reduces to 4:3, the shape of a classic screen.
Where you meet them
Recipes scale by ratio (double every ingredient, the ratios hold); maps state 1:50,000; screens are 16:9; scale models 1:24; coffee brews at 1:16. The "1 : n" form shown above is the most comparable version of any ratio — it's how map scales and mix ratios are quoted.
Ratios and fractions are the same idea in different clothes: 4:3 is the fraction 4/3. The fraction calculator does the four operations on them, and GCF & LCM exposes the machinery this page uses to simplify.
Ratio FAQ
Divide both sides by their greatest common factor. 48:36 has a GCF of 12, so it simplifies to 4:3.
Cross-multiply: x = C × B ÷ A. For 3:4 = 15:x, x = 15×4÷3 = 20.
The left side normalized to one — the standard form for map scales (1:50,000), mix ratios and comparisons. 4:3 becomes 1:0.75.
Yes — 2.5:1.5 is valid. This tool simplifies whole numbers exactly via GCF, and normalizes decimal ratios to the 1:n form instead.