Thus far, the concepts of ratio and proportion have been covered with respect to the simple idea of similarity. In this chapter, you’ll learn how ratios and proportions can be used to solve practical problems. You’ll also get a first taste of trigonometry, the branch of mathematics that relates lengths to angles.
FRACTIONS, PROJECTIONS, EXTREMES, AND MEANS
A fraction expresses a ratio or proportion in terms of the relationship between the numerator and denominator. Different numbers can be used to write the same value as a fraction—the same relationship between the numerator and denominator. For example, 1/2 can also be written as 2/4, 3/6, 4/8, or, in general, x/(2x), where x is any positive real number. Proportions ...