Step by step
The question
Question: simplify the ratio 24 to 36.
Simplify means: smaller numbers, the same ratio.
24 : 36
1 Divide every part
We need a number that goes into every part.
What goes into 24 and 36?
We list the numbers that go into each.
Into 24: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24.
Into 36: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, 36.
12 is the biggest one in both lists.
Into 24: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24
Into 36: 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, 36
We divide every part by 12.
The ratio stays the same.
= 24 ÷ 12 : 36 ÷ 12
24 divided by 12 is 2.
36 divided by 12 is 3.
= 2 : 3
No number goes into both 2 and 3, except 1.
So the simplest ratio is 2 to 3.
simplest ✓
Answer
= 2 : 3