A ratio answers one simple question: how much of this, compared to how much of that? If you make cordial with one scoop of syrup for every three of water, the ratio of cordial to water is 1 : 3. The little colon just means "to".
It's a Comparison, Not a Total
The clever thing about a ratio is that it doesn't care about the size of the batch — only about the mix. One scoop to three is the same drink as two scoops to six, or three to nine. Press "bigger batch" in the toy and you'll see the glasses multiply, but the taste never changes. Those — 1 : 3, 2 : 6, 3 : 9 — are called equivalent ratios: different numbers, same comparison.
Why Multiplying Both Keeps It the Same
Think about it as scoops. One cordial to three water. Now double everything: two cordial, six water. You haven't made it stronger or weaker — you've just made more of the identical drink. That's the rule underneath every ratio: scale both sides by the same amount and the comparison holds. (Scale only one side and you've changed the recipe!)
The Link to Fractions
If equivalent ratios feel familiar, it's because they work just like equivalent fractions — 1/3, 2/6, 3/9 are all the same value for the same reason. That connection is exactly what makes the next rung — simplifying — so quick.