Vaatuse

Vaatuse is an Estonian term that translates to "ratio" in English. It refers to a quantitative relationship between two values, showing how many times one value contains or is contained within the other. Ratios can be expressed numerically, as fractions, or in the form of two numbers separated by a colon (e.g., 3:2). Vaatused are widely used in mathematics, science, engineering, economics, and everyday contexts such as cooking or carpentry.

In mathematics, a vaatuse provides a way to compare magnitudes without requiring absolute scales. For instance, if one number is 6 and another is 4, the vaatuse of the first to the second is 6:4, which simplifies to 3:2. Ratios can also be expressed as percentages or as decimal values when the comparison is normalized.

Vaatused have properties analogous to proportional reasoning: if two quantities share a common vaatuse with a third quantity, then they are proportionally related. This property underpins techniques such as cross‑multiplication and unit conversion. In statistics, the vaatuse often represents a relationship between variables, such as the ratio of male to female participants in a study.

The term "vaatuse" also appears in various specialized fields. In construction, it may denote the proportion of mix components in concrete. In finance, it can refer to key performance ratios such as debt‑to‑equity. Additionally, the word is used in everyday Estonian to describe comparative relationships, making it a foundational concept in both theoretical and practical applications.