Question

How do you solve `3.4/x=2.17/7.7`?

Answer 1

x = 12.06

Explanation:

Multiply both sides by 7.7 to remove it on the right side of the equation:

`7.7xx3.4/x=2.17/cancel7.7xxcancel7.7`

Multiply 7.7 and 3.4 together to get a value of 26.18:

`26.18/x = 2.17`

Divide 26.18 by 2.17 to get x by itself:

`26.18/2.17 =x`

`x = 12.06`

Answer 2

`x~~12`

Explanation:

Solve for `x`: `3.4/x=2.17/7.7`

Cross multiply.

`3.4xx7.7=2.17x`

Simplify.

`26.18=2.17x`

Divide both sides by `2.17`.

`26.18/2.17=(cancel2.17x)/cancel2.17`

`12.064516129032=x`

Switch sides.

`x=12.064516129032~~12` (rounded to two significant figures, or round to the number of digits your instructor requires)

Answer 3

There's another way to do this that doesn't require cross-multiplying.

Reciprocate both sides:

`3.4/x = 2.17/7.7`

`-> x/3.4 = 7.7/2.17`

Now simply multiply by `3.4` on both sides to get `x`.

`color(blue)(x) = (3.4*7.7)/2.17`

`~~ color(blue)(12.06)`