Final answer:
A fraction is a number that represents a part of a whole and is expressed as a/b, where the denominator b is not zero. Ratios, proportions, unit rates, unit scales, and conversion factors are all related mathematical concepts that involve comparisons or relations between different quantities.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term being defined in the question is a fraction, a concept in mathematics. A fraction is a number that represents a part of a whole and is written as where a is the numerator and b is the denominator, with the condition that b cannot be zero. A ratio is very similar, as it tells us the relative size of one quantity compared to another and can also be expressed as a fraction, such as 2/3, which could represent a 2:3 ratio.
When two ratios are equivalent, we have a proportion, like 1/2 = 3/6. Other related concepts are unit rate and unit scale. A unit rate is a comparison of two measurements where one of them is 1, like 55 miles per hour (55/1). A unit scale is used to compare the dimensions of an actual object to the dimensions of a scale model or drawing, such as a 1/2 inch on a map representing 100 feet in reality (0.5/inch = 100/feet ratio).
A conversion factor is another instance where ratios are important, typically used to convert between units where both the numerator and the denominator represent the same quantity but in different units, for example, 1 kg/2.20462 lbs.