Ratio of 2 feet to 8 inches Step by Step

Step by step

The question

Question: write the ratio of 2 feet to 8 inches in its simplest form.

2 feet : 8 inches

Careful!

The units are not the same: feet and inches.

2 to 8 would compare different things.

Careful: not 2 : 8 ✗

1 Same units

A ratio only compares amounts in the same unit.

We change to the smaller unit, inches, so there are no fractions.

1 foot is 12 inches.

1 foot = 12 inches

So 2 feet is 2 times 12: 24 inches.

= 2 feet = 2 × 12 inches = 24 inches

2 Drop the units

Now the ratio is 24 inches to 8 inches.

= 24 ~~inches~~ : 8 ~~inches~~

Both are in inches.

The same units cancel, so we cross them out.

That leaves 24 to 8.

= 24 : 8

3 Simplify

24 and 8 can both be divided by 8.

We divide both parts by 8.

The ratio stays the same.

= 24 ÷ 8 : 8 ÷ 8

24 divided by 8 is 3.

8 divided by 8 is 1.

So the ratio is 3 to 1.

= 3 : 1

4 Check

Let's check: times each part by 8.

We get 24 inches and 8 inches again.

3 × 8 = 24 inches, 1 × 8 = 8 inches

And 24 inches divided by 12 is 2 feet, as in the question.

So the answer is right!

24 inches = 24 ÷ 12 = 2 feet

Let's look back.

First: same units.

Then: drop the units.

Then: simplify.

Last: check.

Answer