How do you calculate the lift-to-drag ratio?

The lift-to-drag ratio is a crucial parameter in aerodynamics that helps assess the efficiency of an aircraft's performance. The ratio is defined as the amount of lift generated by an airfoil or wing in relation to the drag it experiences when moving through the air.

To calculate this ratio, you divide the lift force by the drag force. This means that if an aircraft produces a significant amount of lift relative to the drag it incurs, it will have a high lift-to-drag ratio, indicating efficient performance.

Understanding this concept is important for aviation maintenance and design, as it directly influences fuel efficiency, range, and overall flight performance. A higher lift-to-drag ratio typically allows an aircraft to fly further and more efficiently, which is a critical aspect in aviation operations.

The other calculations provided do not reflect this relationship. For instance, combining lift and drag or dividing drag by lift would not yield a meaningful measure of performance in this context. Instead, these formulas don't represent the relationship necessary to analyze the efficiency of lift versus drag effectively. Thus, the correct calculation for the lift-to-drag ratio is indeed the ratio of lift force to drag force.