1. **State the problem:** We need to find the ratio of dogs to cats in simplest form given 18 dogs and 8 cats. 2. **Write the ratio:** The ratio of dogs to cats is $$\frac{18}{8}$$. 3. **Simplify the ratio:** Find the greatest common divisor (GCD) of 18 and 8. - Factors of 18: 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 18 - Factors of 8: 1, 2, 4, 8 The GCD is 2. 4. **Divide numerator and denominator by the GCD:** $$\frac{18}{8} = \frac{\cancel{2} \times 9}{\cancel{2} \times 4} = \frac{9}{4}$$ 5. **Interpret the result:** The simplest form of the ratio of dogs to cats is 9 to 4. **Final answer:** 9 to 4