What is the definition of proportion in mathematics?

Proportion in mathematics is defined as a statement of equality between two or more ratios. This means that if you have two fractions, or ratios, you can form a proportion by stating that these two ratios are equivalent. For instance, if the ratio of boys to girls in one classroom is the same as the ratio of boys to girls in another classroom, that can be expressed as a proportion. This concept is important in various applications such as scaling, converting units, and solving problems that involve equivalent relationships. Understanding proportions is crucial for problem-solving in fields like aviation maintenance, where one often needs to compare quantities or dimensions accurately.

The other choices indicated do not align with the definition of proportion. A comparison of three numbers does not necessarily establish a ratio-based relationship, calculating percentages is a different mathematical operation that does not pertain to proportion itself, and a measure of central tendency refers to statistical concepts like mean, median, or mode, which describe the center of a data distribution, rather than a relationship between ratios.