When Are Ratios Used in Real Life?

Ratios are used to determine specific amounts of substances, such as the different coat colors of animals in a litter or their genders. Ratios are similar to proportions, which also compare two or more objects. Proportions, however, typically involved finding similarities between groups. Proportions may single out only one trait for comparison between groups, such as the difference in litter size between two litters of puppies.