Final answer:
A neutral ionic compound is formed from X+2 and Y-3 ions by balancing the total charge. The formula X3Y2 is derived by combining 3 X ions and 2 Y ions to cancel out the charges, creating an electrically neutral compound.
Step-by-step explanation:
The creation of an ionic compound requires that the resulting formula is electrically neutral, meaning there must be balance between positive and negative charges. Given the ions X+2 and Y-3, the positive divalent cation (X+2) and negative trivalent anion (Y-3) need to combine in a manner that the total positive charge equals the total negative charge.
To achieve neutrality, we need to multiply the charges against each other to get the lowest common multiple. In this case, we'll need 3 X ions (3 * +2 = +6) and 2 Y ions (2 * -3 = -6), resulting in +6 and -6, which would cancel out each other's charges. Therefore, the formula of the ionic compound formed will be X3Y2.