While the Parthenon's perfection is said to be guided by the golden ratio, today's investors use ratios like Apple's 1.23 current ratio and Tesla's 0.15 debt-to-equity to measure corporate health, just as doctors use blood cell ratios to assess ours.
Key Takeaways
- The current ratio of Apple Inc. in Q1 2023 was 1.23, indicating its ability to cover short-term liabilities with short-term assets
- Tesla's debt-to-equity ratio stood at 0.15 as of December 2022, reflecting low leverage compared to equity
- Amazon's quick ratio was 0.94 in 2022, showing liquidity excluding inventory
- The golden ratio phi (1.618) appears in the Parthenon dimensions with side-to-height ratio approximating 1.618
- Human body navel-to-total height ratio averages 0.618 per Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man studies
- Credit card debt-to-income ratio for U.S. households averaged 8.5% in Q4 2022
- The human sex ratio at birth is approximately 105 boys to 100 girls globally
- Golden ratio in human body proportions, arm span to height averages 1:1 but finger ratios phi-related
- NA:FDA ratio in DNA is 1:1 base pairing adenine-thymine, guanine-cytosine
- NBA player assist-to-turnover ratio leader Chris Paul at 5.2:1 in 2022-23 season
- NFL quarterback passer rating for Patrick Mahomes averaged 103.5 in 2022
- MLB batting average leader Luis Arraez .354 in 2023
- Global population sex ratio is 101 males per 100 females as of 2023
- Median age to dependency ratio in Japan 49 years with 50% over 65
- Urban to rural population ratio worldwide 56:44 in 2023
This blog post explains financial, sports, and scientific ratios with real-world examples.
Biological Ratios
- The human sex ratio at birth is approximately 105 boys to 100 girls globally
- Golden ratio in human body proportions, arm span to height averages 1:1 but finger ratios phi-related
- NA:FDA ratio in DNA is 1:1 base pairing adenine-thymine, guanine-cytosine
- Red to white blood cell ratio in humans is about 1:1000
- Lung surface area to volume ratio enables efficient gas exchange at 70 m²
- Neuron to glial cell ratio in human brain is approximately 1:1
- Muscle fiber fast-twitch to slow-twitch ratio varies 50:50 in average adults
- Bone density peak to postmenopausal loss ratio shows 1-2% annual decline
- Mitosis cell division symmetry ratio 1:1 daughter cells
- Photosynthesis CO2 fixation to O2 release ratio 1:1 in light reactions effectively
- Heart ejection fraction normal ratio 55-70% stroke volume to end-diastolic
- Kidney glomerular filtration rate to plasma flow ratio ~20%
- Insulin to glucose uptake ratio in sensitivity index
- Omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acid ratio ideal 1:1 to 1:4 modern diets 1:20
- Cortisol to testosterone ratio imbalance in stress 2x higher chronically
- Estrogen to progesterone ratio in luteal phase 1:100 peak
- Vitamin D to calcium absorption ratio enhances 30-40% uptake
- BMR to total daily energy expenditure ratio ~70% in sedentary adults
- Telomere shortening rate to age ratio ~40-50 bp/year post-reproductive
Biological Ratios Interpretation
From the cosmic dance of DNA base pairs to the frantic cellular rush hour in our blood, and from the brain's equal-partner neuron-neighbor balance to the hormonal seesaw of stress, the human body is a masterpiece of mathematically precise, often precarious, ratios that whisper the fine print of life between order and chaos.
Demographic Ratios
- Global population sex ratio is 101 males per 100 females as of 2023
- Median age to dependency ratio in Japan 49 years with 50% over 65
- Urban to rural population ratio worldwide 56:44 in 2023
- Fertility rate total to replacement ratio global 2.3 vs 2.1 in 2022
- Life expectancy male-to-female ratio averages 5 years lower for men globally
- Income Gini coefficient U.S. 0.41 in 2022
- Migration inflow to population ratio highest in UAE 88%
- Household size average ratio declining to 2.5 in EU nations 2022
- Youth unemployment to total ratio 13% vs 5% OECD average 2023
- Voter turnout age 18-24 to 65+ ratio 50:75% in U.S. 2020
- Poverty headcount ratio sub-Saharan Africa 35% in 2022
- Literacy rate male-female ratio near 1:1 globally but 89:83% adults
- Obesity prevalence adult ratio doubled to 13% globally since 1990
- Divorce to marriage ratio U.S. 2.5 per 1000 vs 6.1 in 2022
- Single-parent household ratio 23% U.S. children 2022
- Ethnic diversity Shannon index ratio higher in urban vs rural 1.5x
- Aging population 65+ to working age ratio 30% in Italy 2023
- Immigrant share of population ratio Canada 23% in 2023
- Gender pay gap ratio women 82% of men earnings U.S. 2022
- Homelessness per capita ratio highest U.S. urban 18 per 10k
- Student-to-teacher ratio OECD average 15:1 secondary 2022
Demographic Ratios Interpretation
The world is a complex, imbalanced ledger where men slightly outnumber women but die younger and earn more, the old vastly outpace the young in voting and in Japan’s case, sheer numbers, cities swell as families shrink, and while global literacy nearly equalizes, wealth, health, and opportunity stubbornly refuse to follow suit.
Financial Ratios
- The current ratio of Apple Inc. in Q1 2023 was 1.23, indicating its ability to cover short-term liabilities with short-term assets
- Tesla's debt-to-equity ratio stood at 0.15 as of December 2022, reflecting low leverage compared to equity
- Amazon's quick ratio was 0.94 in 2022, showing liquidity excluding inventory
- JPMorgan Chase's return on equity (ROE) reached 16.78% in 2022
- Walmart's inventory turnover ratio was 8.5 times in fiscal 2023
- Microsoft's price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio averaged 35.2 in 2023
- ExxonMobil's profit margin was 13.2% in 2022 amid high oil prices
- Coca-Cola's asset turnover ratio was 0.92 in 2022
- Berkshire Hathaway's book value per share growth was 9.6% in 2022
- Netflix's subscriber-to-revenue ratio implied $12.5 per user monthly in Q4 2022
- Google's operating margin was 30.2% for Alphabet in 2022
- Procter & Gamble's dividend payout ratio was 58.4% in 2023
- Boeing's order backlog-to-revenue ratio was 5.8 years equivalent in 2022
- Visa's transaction volume growth ratio was 11% YoY in Q1 2023
- Pfizer's R&D expense-to-revenue ratio was 21.5% in 2022
- Home Depot's same-store sales growth ratio was 2.6% in 2022
- UnitedHealth's medical loss ratio was 84.3% in 2022
- Chevron's reserve replacement ratio exceeded 100% at 115% in 2022
- McDonald's franchisee contribution margin ratio was 82% in 2022
- Lowe's ROA was 18.5% in fiscal 2022
- Eli Lilly's pipeline success ratio showed 25% phase III success rate historically
- FedEx's fuel surcharge revenue ratio to total was 8.2% in FY2023
- Oracle's cloud revenue growth ratio was 52% YoY in Q3 FY2023
- Nike's direct-to-consumer sales ratio rose to 42% of total in FY2022
- Disney's streaming subscriber ARPU ratio was $7.50 monthly in Q1 2023
- Costco's membership renewal ratio was 92.5% in 2022
- Salesforce's RPO growth ratio was 22% YoY in Q4 FY2023
- Target's gross margin ratio was 26.2% in 2022
- IBM's free cash flow to debt ratio improved to 0.45 in 2022
Financial Ratios Interpretation
From Apple's just-enough liquidity to Tesla's light leverage, Amazon's inventory-tight position, and JPMorgan's robust returns, to Walmart's efficient stock turns, Microsoft's growth-priced shares, and Exxon's bumper profits, these ratios collectively sketch an economy where giants optimize, from Coca-Cola's asset pace and Berkshire's book growth to Netflix's user value and Google's fat margins, all while Procter & Gamble shares profits, Boeing banks on backlog, Visa rides volume, Pfizer bets on R&D, Home Depot grinds out growth, UnitedHealth manages medical costs, Chevron replenishes reserves, McDonald's franchisees thrive, Lowe's assets work hard, Eli Lilly's pipeline persists, FedEx passes on fuel costs, Oracle's cloud soars, Nike sells direct, Disney's streaming earns modestly, Costco's members stay loyal, Salesforce books future sales, Target holds margins, and IBM's cash flex improves.
Mathematical Ratios
- The golden ratio phi (1.618) appears in the Parthenon dimensions with side-to-height ratio approximating 1.618
- Human body navel-to-total height ratio averages 0.618 per Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man studies
- Credit card debt-to-income ratio for U.S. households averaged 8.5% in Q4 2022
- Pi's circumference-to-diameter ratio is exactly 3.14159..., used in circle area calculations
- Fibonacci sequence consecutive terms ratio approaches 1.618 golden ratio
- Euler's number e (2.718) as limit of (1+1/n)^n ratio
- Pythagorean theorem hypotenuse-to-leg ratio in 3-4-5 triangle is 5/3 ≈1.666
- Aspect ratio of standard HD TV is 16:9 or 1.777...
- Debt service ratio for emerging markets averaged 18.2% of exports in 2022
- Simpson's paradox ratio reversal in aggregated data, e.g., UC Berkeley admission rates 1973 males 44% vs females 30% overall but reversed by dept
- Bayes' theorem posterior-to-prior odds ratio is likelihood ratio
- Correlation coefficient Pearson r ranges -1 to 1, measuring linear relationship strength
- Variance-to-standard deviation ratio is sigma^2 / sigma = sigma
- Odds ratio in 2x2 contingency table (ad/bc)
- Herfindahl-Hirschman Index as sum of market share squared ratios
- Sharpe ratio (return-risk free)/std dev for portfolio performance
- Beta coefficient as portfolio return-to-market return covariance ratio
- Gini coefficient income inequality ratio from 0 (equal) to 1
- Reynolds number (inertia/viscous forces) ratio for fluid flow regimes
- Mach number speed-to-sound speed ratio in aerodynamics
Mathematical Ratios Interpretation
From the sublime geometry of temples to the unsettling arithmetic of modern debt, humans are perpetually obsessed with ratios, relentlessly quantifying everything from cosmic harmony to financial peril, as if trying to impose a fragile order on the beautifully chaotic and often imbalanced universe we inhabit.
Physical Ratios
- Earth's surface water-to-land area ratio 71:29%
- Air density to sea level ratio decreases 10%/km altitude
- Speed of light to sound ratio 880,000:1 in air
- Gravity acceleration to lunar 1/6 Earth g=9.8/1.62 m/s²
- Solar constant Earth distance 1366 W/m² intensity ratio
- Magnetic field Earth core dynamo ratio 0.3-0.6 gauss surface
- Ocean salinity average 35 ppt salt-to-water ratio
- Atmospheric O2 to N2 ratio 21:78% by volume
- Ice density to water ratio 0.917 solid/liquid anomaly
- Cosmic microwave background temperature ratio to absolute zero ~2.725K
- Proton-to-electron mass ratio 1836.15 precisely measured
- Fine structure constant alpha ~1/137.036 electromagnetic coupling ratio
- Planck constant to classical action ratio defines quantum scale
- Hubble constant expansion rate 70 km/s/Mpc distance ratio
- Stefan-Boltzmann law power-to-T^4 ratio for blackbody radiation
- Refractive index air-to-glass ratio ~1.5 light bending
- Coefficient of friction steel-to-steel dry 0.8 kinetic ratio
- Thermal expansion steel 12e-6 /°C length ratio
- Viscosity water-to-honey ratio ~20:1 at room temp
Physical Ratios Interpretation
Earth is an eccentric rock clinging to a film of water while hurling through frigid nothingness, governed by an absurdly specific and delicate arithmetic of forces—from the cling of steel to the speed of thought—that somehow allows us to measure its every quirk and anomaly, reminding us that the universe runs on an exquisitely tuned calculator that only occasionally makes a joke (like making ice float).
Sports Ratios
- NBA player assist-to-turnover ratio leader Chris Paul at 5.2:1 in 2022-23 season
- NFL quarterback passer rating for Patrick Mahomes averaged 103.5 in 2022
- MLB batting average leader Luis Arraez .354 in 2023
- Tennis serve win percentage for Djokovic 68% career on first serve
- Premier League goals-to-shots ratio for Haaland 0.78 in 2022-23
- Tour de France climber's power-to-weight ratio elite 6.5 W/kg
- NHL save percentage leader Juuse Saros .920 in 2022-23
- PGA Tour driving accuracy to distance ratio Rory McIlroy 62% at 320 yards avg 2023
- WNBA blocks-to-games ratio Brittney Griner 1.5 per game career
- UFC striking accuracy-to-absorption ratio Israel Adesanya 59%/55% career
- Formula 1 lap time to pit stop ratio avg 20 laps per stop Monaco GP
- Olympics 100m sprint speed-to-time ratio Usain Bolt 44.72 km/h peak
- Cricket bowling economy rate Rashid Khan 6.07 IPL 2023
- Rugby scrum win percentage All Blacks 85% historical
- Volleyball kill percentage Karch Kiraly career 45%
- Boxing punch landing ratio Floyd Mayweather 46% accuracy career
- Swimming stroke rate to velocity ratio Michael Phelps 1.05 strokes/m at 2.0 m/s
- MLB ERA Cy Young winner Blake Snell 2.40 in 2023
- NBA true shooting percentage Stephen Curry 62.6% 2022-23
- NFL completion percentage Dak Prescott 69.5% 2023
Sports Ratios Interpretation
From Chris Paul's surgical command of a basketball to Dak Prescott's sharpshooting precision, these athletes aren't just playing their sports—they're ruthlessly optimizing the very math of victory.
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