If you mix 3 cups of juice with 2 cups of water, what is the ratio of juice to total mixture?

• A. 2:5
• B. 3:2
• C. 3:5
• D. 5:3

Answer: (C)

Think of ratios as comparing a part to the whole. You have 3 cups of juice and 2 cups of water, so the total mixture is 3 + 2 = 5 cups. The part you care about is the juice, which is 3 cups. So the ratio of juice to the total mixture is 3 to 5, written as 3:5. That matches the option that shows 3:5. The other ways people might write it would compare juice to water (3:2), total to juice (5:3), or water to total (2:5), which aren’t what the question asks.