The ratio of two numbers can represent the division of two numbers, but it is not the definition of ratio. Ratio is a mathematical concept, which represents the quantitative relationship between two numbers.

In mathematics, ratio is usually defined as the relative relationship between two quantities of the same kind. For example, the ratio of two numbers can indicate their size relationship or their multiple relationship. Take 3: 7 as an example, which can be interpreted as the ratio of 3 to 7, or 3 is a fraction of 7. This expression can clearly reflect the quantitative relationship between two numbers and is a concise and intuitive mathematical expression.

Defining the ratio as the division of two numbers can reflect the quantitative relationship between the two numbers, but this definition ignores the requirement of the same number of ratios. For example, comparing the length of 5 meters with the length of 10 meters, it can be said that 5 meters: 10 meters, where the ratio represents the relative size of the length. However, if we take the ratio of length to area, such as 5 meters and 10 square meter, we can't say 5 meters: 10 square meter, because meters are units of length and square meters are units of area, and they are not the same quantity.

Application of ratio:

1, scale. Proportion is a common application of comparison, which represents the proportional relationship between the actual distance and the map distance. For example, the ratio of 1: 1000 means that 1 cm on the map represents the actual 1000 cm, that is,10 m. This application is very common in urban planning, architectural design and military fields.

2. percentage. Percentages represent the proportion of parts to the whole. Percentage is a form of relative number, which is convenient for comparison and analysis. For example, if the proportion of outstanding students in a class is 20%, we can evaluate the overall performance of the class by comparing the proportion of outstanding students in different classes.

3. ratio. Ratio is another application of ratio, indicating the proportional relationship between two numbers. For example, the ratio of male to female population in a country is 1: 1, so we can study the population structure of these countries by comparing the ratio of male to female population in different countries. In addition, the ratio can also be used in the financial field, such as comparing the stock prices and P/E ratios of different companies.

4. Proportional distribution. Proportional distribution is the process of distributing the whole to each part according to a certain proportion, which is based on the proportional relationship. For example, if a certain number of scholarships are allocated to students of various majors according to a certain proportion, they can be allocated according to the proportion of students of various majors. This application is very common in real life.