A 2:3 mixture is not 2/3 of the total
A part-to-part ratio compares two components. To find either component’s share of the total, add the ratio terms first.
Ratio calculator →Translate parts into a total
A mixture with A:B = 2:3 has 2+3 = 5 total parts. Component A is 2/5 = 40% of the total, and B is 3/5 = 60%. For a 500 g batch, A is 200 g and B is 300 g. The ratio 2/3 instead compares A directly with B, not with the whole mixture.
Use the ratio tool for a known component
If A is already known to be 80 g, enter a=2, b=3 and c=80. The corresponding B is 120 g, giving total 200 g. If the known quantity is instead the total 200 g, first use five total parts as the base: 200×2/5 = 80 for A. The ratio tool solves a:b=c:d and does not automatically recognize a total hidden in one input.
Check the basis of a real mixture
Specify whether the ratio is by mass, volume or another basis. Adding masses is straightforward under this arithmetic model, but mixed liquid volumes are not always exactly additive. Chemical, medical and structural mixtures may have strict manufacturer procedures and tolerances; do not infer them from a generic proportion. The example illustrates arithmetic only and assumes compatible units and a clearly defined total. Labeling the total explicitly prevents accidental comparison of a component with itself plus another amount.
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