How can I calculate a ratio?

Baladon,

For any ratio that is 1:X you simply need to divide the numbers.

B2 = 2

B3 = 5

B4 = "1:"&B3/B2

or

B4 ="1:"&ROUND(B3/B2,2)

As Wayne said, the formula is correct and gives correct results

GCD is "greatest common denominator". GCD is finding the greatest common denominator of the two numbers. The formula divides both numbers by the GCD and places a colon between them to make the ratio. You would have a hard time figuring out the greatest common denominator using division instead of the GCD function. The pairs of numbers in your post don't have a common denominator (or, more technically, the common denominator =1) so it is parroting back the same numbers.

For the number 34,482,779 to give you the ratio 10,000:4, the other number wouldn't be 12,500 it would be 13,793.1116 which won't work because it has numbers after the decimal. Also, 10,000:4 itself has a common denominator so you'll never see that as a result, it would be 2,500:1

Hi Badunit,

Is there any way to have the ratio 1:xxxx.

Ex: If I want to show a ratio 2 each 5 the GCD will show 2:5 as the common divisor between those numbers is "1". How can i show it as 1:2.5.

I guess that I am trying to say is: Is there any way to have the ratio with decimals?

Thank you very much Badunit.

When I put that formula it appears a little red triangule in the box.

When I click on it, it says "numbers can't be divided by zero".

How can I make this red triangule dissapear?

Thank you for your help.

Baladon wrote:

Thank you very much Badunit.

When I put that formula it appears a little red triangule in the box.

When I click on it, it says "numbers can't be divided by zero".

How can I make this red triangule dissapear?

Thank you for your help.

The only division is B3/B2. If you are dividing by zero, B2 is zero (or empty). I have B2 = 2 in my post.

Baldon,

You should recall from school that dividing by zero results in infinitley large result which is not representatble on any computer and, as such, results in an error. You can try the test yourself if you do not understand what I mean:

perform the following operations:

1/1

1/0.5

1/0.1

1/0.001

1/0.0000001

1/0.0000000000000001

1/0.000000000000000000000000001

as the denomenator gets smaller the result of the division gets larger.

Numbers flags this as an error if you actually attempt:

1/0

as this will cause a much more serious Divide by 0 exception on the processor itself.

Hi "Mr Contello",

I work with numbers (and I don't mean the Apple's App).

I could talk to you about "maths" for hours if you want.

SO yes "I recall from school that any number divide by zero results in infinitley".

But what I was asking if wasn't a math lesson from you.....

What I was asking was when the box B2= nothing, whats it is the formula in "Numbers" to rid of the red triangle in the box B4.

That was all.... thank you anyway.

There is a typo in Jerry's formula:

B4 = IFERROR("1:"&B3/B2, ".") would substitute a period for the triangle.

should be:

B4 = IFERROR("1:"&B3/B2, ".") would substitute a period for the triangle.

this was probably some error with the help website

What result do you want when B2 is empty? There is probably a formula for it if we know what the result is supposed to be.

Do you want the ratio cell to be blank until cell B2 is filled in?

=IF(B2="","","1:"&ROUND(B3/B2,2)

Do you want it to be 1: (nothing on the right) until B2 is filled in?

="1:"&IF(B2="","",ROUND(B3/B2,2))

B,

You're right. That post didn't turn out anything like I intended.

B4 = IFERROR("1:"&B3/B2, ".") would substitute a period for the triangle.

Should have been:

B4 = IFERROR("1:"&B3/B2, ".")

I don't know if I had a case of fat finger or if gremlins changed my expression.

Jerry

34482779 divided by 12500 is NOT 10,000

In fact 34482779/12500 = 2758.662

If you enter 50000 in B2 you will get 4:1 ratio like you want

Hi,

You misunderstand the GCD (greatest common divisor). The GCD of 34,482,779 and 12,500 is 1. So, the ratio is 34,482,779 : 12,500. Numbers.app is correct.

There is nothing wrong with your formula. It is correct and produces the correct result FOR THE NUMBERS you entered.

Hi Badunit,

I know that you posted "2" but when the box is empty is when the red triangle appears.