Scaling Down Calculator - Calculator Academy

Enter the ratio of the new value to the initial value and the original value into the calculator to scale down to a new number.

Scaling Down Formula

The following formula is used to calculate a scaled down value for a recipe or other problem.

FV = IV * R

Where FV is your final value or your scaled down value
IV is your initial value
R is your ratio of the initial value to final value. For example a ratio of 1:2 = 1/2, meaning that for every 1 initial value, there are 2 final values. So an initial value of 2 scaled down by 1:2 means the final value should be 1. (2*1/2=1)

Scaling Down Definition

A scaling down is the process of reducing a certain value by a scale ratio in order to calculate an equivalent smaller number typically for use in recipes.

Scaling Down Example

How to scale down?

First, determine the original value.
For example lets say you are make 5 pounds of soup, and the initial value of noodles needed was 4 cups.
Next, determine the scaled down ratio.
Now let’s say instead you want to only make 1 pound of soup. That would mean your scale down ratio is 1:5.
Finally, calculate the new value.
Calculate the new amount of noodles required using the formula above. So, 4 * 1/5 = .80 cups of noodles in the scaled down recipe.

FAQ

How do you scale down a recipe?

Scaling down the ingredients of a recipe involves multiplying the initial ingredient values by the scale ratio. For example, if you want to make 1/5 of the amount of food, you must multiply the ingredient values by 1/5.