Step by step
The question
Question: simplify the ratio 16 to 24 to 40.
Simplify means: smaller numbers, the same ratio.
16 : 24 : 40
1 Divide every part
16, 24 and 40 can all be divided by 8.
We divide every part by 8.
The ratio stays the same.
= 16 ÷ 8 : 24 ÷ 8 : 40 ÷ 8
16 divided by 8 is 2.
24 divided by 8 is 3.
40 divided by 8 is 5.
= 2 : 3 : 5
Nothing else divides all of them.
So the simplest ratio is 2 to 3 to 5.
Answer
= 2 : 3 : 5