1. The problem is to understand the ratio $7 : 5 : 8$ and what it represents. 2. A ratio compares quantities to each other, showing their relative sizes. 3. Here, the ratio $7 : 5 : 8$ means for every 7 parts of the first quantity, there are 5 parts of the second, and 8 parts of the third. 4. To work with this ratio, you can express it as fractions of a total or scale it to find actual values. 5. For example, the total parts are $7 + 5 + 8 = 20$. 6. Each part is then $\frac{1}{20}$ of the total. 7. So, the first quantity is $\frac{7}{20}$ of the total, the second is $\frac{5}{20} = \frac{1}{4}$, and the third is $\frac{8}{20} = \frac{2}{5}$. 8. This helps in dividing a total amount into parts proportional to the ratio. 9. No further calculation is requested, so this explains the ratio fully.