Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Marrion]

The ratio of female professors at SNU has steadily increased from 7.26 percent in 2002 to 8.96 percent in 2004.

The proportion of newly appointed female professors rose from 16.3 percent in 2002 to 27 percent in 2004.
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From the two sentences, I want to know what is the difference between the "ratio" and the "proportion".

Or do the "ratio" and the "proportion" have the same meaning?

[lotus]

Hi marrion,

A ratio is relational fractional number written as x/y, a:b, x to y, a over b, etc. The numerator and the denominator can be any integer number. The numerator can be larger than the denominator, and vice versa. The fraction is usually reduced to its lowest term, ie 3/4 not 6/8. You sometimes hear something like "he was outnumbered (by a ratio of) three to one." This usually means that there were three persons against one. So, the advantage ratio is actually 3/4, and he is 1/4 - not 3/1 or 1/3. Confusing, isn't it!

A proportion is usually a part of the whole (the denominator would be 1). We say things like "he got the bigger portion (proportion) of the (whole) pie" or "his head is proportional to his (whole) body."

There are a lot of ways to think about ratios and proportions.


--lotus

[Marrion]

At first, I always thank you very much, sir.
[1] The ratio of female professors at SNU has steadily increased from 7.26 percent in 2002 to 8.96 percent in 2004.
==> If so, can I think "the ratio of female professors" means only the ratio of female proffessors between "male" and "female" professors at SNU?


[2] The proportion of newly appointed female professors rose from 16.3 percent in 2002 to 27 percent in 2004.
==> At this sentence, do I think "The proportion of newly appointed female professors" means "the proportion of newly appointed female professors among whole newly appointed proffessors?

May God bless you, always!!

[lotus]

Hi marrion,

For #1, they probably meant the ratio of female professors to male and female professors combined. In which case, it is better to say, the percentage of female faculty have increased from 7.26% to 8.96%.

In #2, they're saying approximately the same thing. The difference is that in #2, they are talking about newly appointed female professors as opposed to all female professors.

The data shows that they are hiring more female professors.


--lotus

[Marrion]

Thank you very much.