Question

What is the ratio 1 to 3 mean?.

Answer 1

for every one (1) you have, you have 3 times the first

Ok,

for example for every 1 penny you have, you have 3dollars,

you counted and you have 4 pennies, in order to find out how many dollars you have, you have to times 4 by 3 to get 12

altogether you would have 4 pennies: 12 dollars.