How do you solve \frac{2400}{100}=\frac{180}{x}?

1 Answer
Nov 13, 2017

See a couple of solution processed below:

Explanation:

Because both sides of the equation are pure fractions we can flip the fractions giving:

100/2400 = x/180

Next, we can reduce the fraction on the left side of the equation:

1/24 = x/180

Now, we can multiply each side of the equation by color(red)(180) to solve for x while keeping the equation balanced:

color(red)(180) xx 1/24 = color(red)(180) xx x/180

color(red)((12 xx 15)) xx 1/((12 xx 2)) = cancel(color(red)(180)) xx x/color(red)(cancel(color(black)(180)))

color(red)((color(black)(cancel(color(black)(12))) xx 15)) xx 1/((color(red)(cancel(color(black)(12))) xx 2)) = x

15/2 = x

x = 15/2

Another process would be to first reduce the fraction on the left side of the equation:

24/1 = 180/x

24 = 180/x

Now, multiply each side of the equation by color(red)(x)/color(blue)(24) to solve for x while keeping the equation balanced:

color(red)(x)/color(blue)(24) xx 24 = color(red)(x)/color(blue)(24) xx 180/x

color(red)(x)/cancel(color(blue)(24)) xx color(blue)(cancel(color(black)(24))) = cancel(color(red)(x))/(color(blue)(12 xx 2)) xx (12 xx 15)/color(red)(cancel(color(black)(x)))

x = 1/(color(blue)(color(black)(cancel(color(blue)(12))) xx 2)) xx (color(blue)(cancel(color(black)(12))) xx 15)/1

x = 15/2