Which noun phrase means 'the number or amount of a group when compared to the whole'?

• A. A ratio
• B. A percentage
• C. A portion
• D. A proportion of

Answer: (D)

Think about how we describe a part of a whole. The word that means the share of the total is proportion. It specifically conveys how big a part is when measured against the entire group. Among the options, this best matches the idea of “the number or amount of a group when compared to the whole.”

The others are close but not as precise: a ratio compares two quantities and isn’t inherently tied to the whole; a percentage expresses that same idea as a per‑hundred amount but is a specific form of proportion; a portion just means a part without necessarily framing its size relative to the entire set. So the phrase that most directly captures the concept of a part in relation to the whole is a proportion of.