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In Mathematics, there are two terms “Rate” and “Ratio” that can help to calculate the relationship between quantities. There are many types of similarities and differences between the terms. The main difference between the two is that rate compares quantities of different units while ratio compares quantities of the same units.
Keep reading this blog to know the detailed analysis of the difference between Rate and Ratio, along with its application and its definitions.
Table of Contents
What is Rate?
The “Rate” is expressed as the comparison of two quantities with different units. It is expressed using “per” while depicting the rate.
The “unit rate” is in terms of when the certain number of the first quantity is compared with one unity of the second quantity.
What is Ratio?
There is a bit of difference between, Rate and Ratio. The ratio is a term that can be used to compare two quantities with the same units.
Take an example, there are a total of 70 students in class. Out of which 30 are Girls and 40 are boys. The ratio of Girls to boys in a class is 30/40 i.e. 3:4.
What is the Difference between Rate and Ratio?
Both the terms “Rate” and “Rate” are the best related terms in Mathematics. Here’s the table to know the comparison between the terms:
| Rate | Ratio |
| Frequency of the occurrence of a certain event. | Relationship between any two quantities of the same unit. |
| One or more dimensions. | Dimensionless quantity. |
| Measured between quantities of the different units. | Calculated for quantities of the same units. |
| Kilometers per hour(km/h), rupees per month, bits per second(b/s) | 6:5, 7:12, 8:3 |
Also Read: Difference Between Parallel and Perpendicular
Rate and Ratio Formulas
Here are some Rate and Ratio Formulaes, to calculator these Mathematical terms:
Rate and Ratio Chart
| Rate | Ratio |
| Quantity 1/ Quantity 2 (Quantities for Different Units) | Quantity 1/ Quantity 2 (Quantities for Same Units) |
| Examples: 10:15, 20:25 | Examples: Distance per unit of time, speed miles/ hour. |
Also Read: Chain Rule Questions and Answers
Applications for Rate and Ratio
Here are some applications of Rate and Ration, as mathematical terms in real life:
- Comparing income to expenses creates a budget, which involves calculating ratios such as the ratio of income to expenses.
- Know their progress in their fitness journey, by calculating rates for weight loss, etc.
- Calculating the travel time based on speed and distance, and their efficiency.
- Know the rate of inflation including the comparison of cost of living and income.
Similarities Between Rate and Ratio
Here are the key similarities between rates and ratios:
- Comparison of quantities: Both rates and ratios express a relationship between two quantities. They tell you how much of one thing there is in relation to another.
- Expressed proportionally: Both rates and ratios can be written in a proportional form, such as a fraction, a colon separating two numbers (a:b), or with the word “to” (a to b).
- Convey relative value: They help us understand the relative size or importance of one quantity compared to another.
FAQ’s
The formulae for Rate is R = (SI × 100) / (P × T). The formulae for SI (Simple Interest) is PRT/100.
Rate as a term is a unit of measurement as miles per hour, per second. However, the Percentage is expressed as 30% or 30/100.
To calculate the ratio, you can divide the two numbers by each other. For example, the numbers are 5 and 10. The ratio of numbers is 5/10 i.e. 1:2.
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