A 1:2 ratio means that for every one part of something, there are two parts of another. This can be seen in various contexts, such as cooking, where a recipe might call for 1 cup of flour to 2 cups of water. The ratio helps to maintain the correct proportions for the desired outcome. In mathematics, a 1:2 ratio can also represent a relationship between two quantities. For example, if there are 3 apples and 6 oranges, the ratio of apples to oranges is 1:2. This means that for every apple, there are two oranges, illustrating how ratios can simplify comparisons between different items.