Both of the posts above mine are terrific, but re-reading your question, I thought I might have a way of expressing what they said in a more direct fashion.

A percentage and a ratio are both expressions of the same thing; they both represent the same thing. Either can be used at any given time for figuring out whatever you need to, but the very nature of poker problems has naturally led people to use ratios when talking them.

Accordingly, if you are more comfy thinking in terms of percentages, then rock the heck on with the percentages. Your task is to then be able to convert the ratios you encounter into the percentage expression you want.

Now that I've typed all that out, I am not sure I really had anything to add to the discussion after all.. :-)