Answer: Therefore, when x = 5, y is equal to -7.2.
Step-by-step explanation: To find the value of y when x = 5, we can use the formula for inverse variation: y = k/x, where k is a constant.
First, let's find the value of k. We are given that y = -18 when x = 2. Plugging these values into the formula, we get:
-18 = k/2
To solve for k, we can multiply both sides of the equation by 2:
-36 = k
Now that we know the value of k, we can find y when x = 5. Plugging x = 5 and k = -36 into the formula, we get:
y = -36/5
Dividing -36 by 5, we find:
y = -7.2