A proportion is an equation that states that two ratios are equivalent. In other words, it compares two fractions or ratios that have the same value. To identify a proportion, you can often cross-multiply to check if the products of the means and extremes are equal.
For example, the statement \( \frac{1}{2} = \frac{2}{4} \) is a proportion. Here, both fractions represent the same value (0.5), and if you cross-multiply, you get \( 1 \times 4 = 2 \times 2 \), which simplifies to \( 4 = 4 \), confirming that the two ratios are equivalent.