Final answer:
A proportion is false when the ratios are never equal in simplest form. The question addresses understanding proportions, unit rates, and unit scales in Mathematics, typically learned at the middle school level.
Step-by-step explanation:
A proportion is not true if the rate or ratios are never equal when written in simplest form. When we talk about proportion, we refer to the equality of two ratios or rates. For instance, 1/2 = 3/6 is an example of a proportion because when simplified, both ratios are equivalent (1/2 = 1/2).
A unit rate is a specialized form of a ratio where one of the quantities is 1, such as 55 miles per hour (55/1 mph). In contrast, a unit scale compares the dimensions of an actual object with a representation, such as 1 inch on a map equaling 100 feet in reality. Neither of these quantities in a unit scale has to be 1.
To verify if two ratios form a proportion, they must simplify to the same value. For example, 1/20 and 1/5.5 do not represent a true proportion because they are not equivalent when simplified.