How do you know if you cant form a ratio into a proportion?

Question

How do I find out if a ratio cannot bve turned into a proportion?

Answer 1

generally proportions refer to ratios set equal to each other

1/2 = 2/4 = 3/6

a ratio can be written as a decimal or fraction 1:2 or 1/2 or 0.5

a ratio of 1:2 boys to girls means 1/(1+2) = 1/3 are boys and 2/3 are girls

ratio of a:b means a/(a+b) and b/(a+b) are the fractional proportions

ratios of 1:2:3 correspond to proportions 1/6 1/3 and 1/2 which sum to 1

Answer 2

As long as you have enough values, you can proportionalize any ratio - 2:3 is proportional to 4:6 - to find a missing number Ex: (2:3 = X:66) multiply the bottom number of the first ratio by the top number of the 2nd ratio (3 x X=3X) and then, likewise, multiply the top number of the first ratio to the bottom number of the 2nd (66 x 2 = 132) . Now you have 3x=132.  Next divide (132/3 = 44).  

As long as you have a ratio to compare, you can always proportionalize with your own curius values.