How to Find the Ratio of Length to Width

The smaller the length-to-width ratio, the closer the rectangle is to a square.

The length-to-width ratio has a variety of uses, including figuring how close to a square a rectangle is and comparing how close to a circle an oval diamond is for jewelry. With rectangles, the Golden Rectangle has a ratio of 1.618, which is theoretically the most aesthetically pleasing ratio. With an oval, the length is the longest distance from side to side through the middle, and the width is the shortest distance from side to side through the middle. In jewelry, length-to-width ratio of an oval diamond is usually desired to be between 1.33 and 1.66. A calculator makes it easy to figure this ratio.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape or ruler
• Calculator

Instructions

1. Measure the length. For example, you might measure the width of a rectangular prism in inches.

2. Measure the width using the same unit you used to measure the length. In this example, measure the width in inches.

3. Divide the length by the width to find the length-to-width ratio. For example, if the length equals 9 inches and the width equals 3 inches, divide 9 by 3 to find the length equals three times the width.

References

• University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: The Golden Ratio
• University of Georgia; Constructing the Golden Ratio; Leanne May
• Blue Nile: Diamond Shape