A proportion is a statement that indicates that two ratios or fractions are equal. It consists of four quantities, two ratios or fractions, and an equal sign between them. For example, in the proportion "a/b = c/d", a and d are called the extremes, while b and c are called the means.
Proportions are often used in various mathematical problems, such as solving for unknown values or comparing different quantities. They can be solved by cross-multiplying, which means multiplying the extremes and then setting the two products equal to each other.
Proportions are also commonly used in real life situations, such as in cooking recipes where ingredients need to be adjusted based on the number of servings or in business settings where ratios are used to assess profitability.
Overall, proportions are a fundamental concept in mathematics that are used in a wide range of applications and are essential for understanding the relationships between different quantities.