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What is proportion?

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In mathematics, the equality of two ratios. Two pairs of quantities a,b and c,d are in proportion if their ratios a / b and c / d are equal, i.e., if the equation a / b = c / d is true. For example, the lengths of two sides of any triangle and the lengths of the corresponding two sides of any similar (same-shaped) triangle are in proportion, for the ratio of the two sides of the first can be proved to be the same as the ratio of the two sides of the second. The proportion a / b = c / d was formerly written a : b :: c : d and is read as "a is to b as c is to d." In this form it is customary to call b and c the means and a and d the extremes.

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