To calculate the ratio of two numbers, you just need to divide the first number by the second number. For example, if you want to know the ratio of 12 to 4, you'd simply divide 12 by 4, which gives you a ratio of 3:1. You can also think of it like a fraction, where the first number is the numerator and the second number is the denominator.
But here's the thing: ratios can be reduced or simplified to make them easier to work with. Using the same example, a ratio of 12:4 can be reduced to 3:1 by dividing both numbers by 4. It's like finding the common denominator in a fraction, but way more intuitive.