An equivalent ratio represents the same multiplicative relationship between two positive quantities: both terms are multiplied or divided by the same nonzero scale factor. Finding a missing term involves identifying that factor through a ratio table, double number line, or equation such as , and recognizing that adding the same amount to both terms does not preserve equivalence; the focus is numerical proportional reasoning with accessible whole-number, decimal, and fraction values, not generalized algebraic cases.
An equivalent ratio keeps the same multiplicative relationship between the two quantities. To find a missing value, find the factor that changes one known term into its matching term, then use that same factor on the other term.
Example: Find .
Compare the first terms: becomes .
So, the scale factor is .
Multiply the other term by the same factor:
Therefore,
So the equivalent ratios are
Check: Both terms in were multiplied by . Adding the same number would not work because equivalent ratios are made by multiplying or dividing both terms by the same factor.
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