A proportion is an equation that states that two ratios are equal. It can be expressed in the form \( \frac{a}{b} = \frac{c}{d} \), where \( a \), \( b \), \( c \), and \( d \) are numbers, and \( b \) and \( d \) are not zero. Proportions can be used to solve problems that involve finding missing values or to compare two different quantities.
For example, if we have the ratio of 2 to 3 and we want to compare it to the ratio of 4 to 6, we can express this as a proportion: \[ \frac{2}{3} = \frac{4}{6} \] Both ratios are equivalent, which shows that they form a proportion.
This can also be solved by cross-multiplying: \( 2 \times 6 = 12 \) and \( 3 \times 4 = 12 \), confirming that \( \frac{2}{3} \) is indeed equal to \( \frac{4}{6} \).