Simplify a ratio to its lowest terms and optionally split a total amount according to that ratio.
📖 Euclidean Algorithm (GCD Simplification)Fill in the fields on the left with your information, then press Calculate to see your result instantly. No sign-up required, and no data is sent anywhere — everything is calculated right in your browser.
Ratio and proportion are used to compare two quantities to each other, and are always simplified to their smallest possible form by dividing both terms by their greatest common divisor — exactly like simplifying a fraction. This calculator offers two features: the first is simplifying any entered ratio to its simplest form, and the second is splitting a total amount between two parties according to a specific ratio, a very common use in splitting profits between partners, distributing cooking ingredients, or mixing chemicals and dyes in specific proportions. Enter the two values A and B, and if you want to split a total amount according to this ratio, enter it in the optional field to instantly see each party's share. The same underlying relationship also explains why two ratios that look different on paper — such as 4:6 and 2:3 — describe exactly the same proportional split once both are reduced.
A ratio compares two quantities to each other, while a proportion states that two ratios are equal — the distinction matters less in everyday use than the practical skill of working with either one confidently. A ratio of 2:3 means exactly the same relationship as 4:6, 6:9, or any other pair of numbers in the same proportion, which is why simplifying a ratio to its lowest terms (by dividing both sides by their greatest common divisor) is the first useful step in almost any ratio problem — it strips away the specific numbers to reveal the underlying relationship.
One of the most common practical uses of ratios is splitting a total amount fairly between parties according to an agreed proportion, rather than splitting it equally. Business partners who invested unequal amounts of capital often split profits in the same ratio as their original investment — a 2:3 investment ratio means the total profit is divided into 2+3=5 equal parts, with one partner receiving 2 of those parts and the other receiving 3. The same logic applies to splitting an inheritance according to a legal formula, dividing a recipe's ingredients when scaling it up or down, or mixing two substances (paint, cleaning solution, or animal feed) in a specific concentration ratio.
Ratios also appear constantly in map scales (1:50,000 meaning one unit on the map represents 50,000 of the same unit in reality), aspect ratios in photography and video (16:9, 4:3), and mixing instructions on product labels for anything from fertilizer to cocktail recipes. In each case, the ratio describes a fixed relationship that should hold regardless of the actual quantity being used — doubling the total amount should double both parts of the ratio equally, never change the underlying proportion itself.
A frequent point of confusion is mistaking a ratio for a fraction of the whole. In a 2:3 ratio, the first quantity is not two-thirds of the total — it is two-fifths, because the total number of parts is 2+3=5, not 3. This is precisely the calculation this tool performs automatically when splitting a total amount: dividing the whole into as many equal parts as the sum of the ratio's terms, then allocating the correct number of those parts to each side.
Enter 8 and 12 in the two fields, and the calculator reduces it to its simplest form, 2:3.
Yes, enter your two ratio values plus the total amount you want to split, and it shows each share.
Yes, ratios are order-sensitive — 2:3 is different from 3:2, so make sure you enter values in the correct order.