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How do I simplify a ratio to its lowest terms?

Short answer

Divide both sides of the ratio by their greatest common divisor to get the simplest equivalent ratio, so 8:12 becomes 2:3. The browser-based ratio calculator simplifies any ratio for you and can also solve a proportion for a missing value, all in your browser.

Simplifying a ratio

A ratio compares two quantities, and it is in lowest terms when both sides share no common factor other than one. To simplify, find the greatest common divisor of the two numbers and divide both by it. For 8:12 the GCD is 4, so the simplified ratio is 2:3. The relationship between the quantities is unchanged; it is just expressed with the smallest whole numbers.

Solving proportions too

The ratio calculator reduces a ratio to lowest terms and can also solve a proportion, where you know three of the four numbers in two equivalent ratios and want the fourth. It cross-multiplies to find the missing value. Both jobs run entirely in your browser, so nothing you enter is uploaded.

Step by step

  1. Open the calculator. Open the ratio calculator in your browser.
  2. Enter the ratio. Type both sides of the ratio you want to simplify.
  3. Read the result. Read the ratio reduced to its lowest terms.

Frequently asked questions

What does simplifying a ratio mean?

It means dividing both sides by their greatest common divisor so the ratio uses the smallest whole numbers.

Can it solve for a missing value in a proportion?

Yes. Enter three of the four numbers and the tool cross-multiplies to find the fourth.

Is anything uploaded?

No. The calculation runs entirely in your browser.

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