Question

The product of 2 and a number x is 34.

What is the value of x?

Responses

x=54
x equals fraction 5 over 4 end fraction

x=38
x equals fraction 3 over 8 end fraction

x=114
x equals fraction 1 and 1 over 4 end fraction

x=32

Answer 1

(b) x = 3/8

Explanation:

You want to know x such that the product of 2 and x is 3/4.

Setup

The product can be written ...

2x = 3/4

Solution

Multiply both sides of the equation by 1/2:

(1/2)(2x) = (1/2)(3/4)

x = 3/8

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Additional comment

The value 1/2 is chosen because it is the reciprocal of the coefficient of x. The product of a number and its reciprocal is 1, the multiplicative identity element. That means (1/2)(2x) = 1x = x, the value of x by itself.