01
Ratio is just a fraction
2:3 is always 2/3, so the whole is lost.
Topic hub
Ratio and proportion
A ratio compares parts to parts; a fraction often compares a part to a whole. Children struggle when every ratio is forcibly turned into a fraction, so sharing 20 in 2:3 becomes ‘two-thirds of 20’.
Why this concept matters
This is one of the Class 6 load-bearing ideas. Miss it, and every later ‘in the ratio’ word problem is a coin flip.
Misconceptions, in the order we see them
02
Add the wrong total
They share in 2:3 by splitting into 2 and 3 without making five parts.
03
Proportion means ‘looks similar’
The multiplicative relationship is never named, so scaling recipes fails.
Which classes cover this
Related: Fractions · Decimals · Percentages · Integers · Algebra basics
Try a live maths class.
Pay ₹99 for a 50-minute session with a named tutor. Enroll only when you are ready.