Question

2 1/2 : 3 1/2 = n:2what do the : between numbers mean?

Answer 1

The symbol : denotes that the two ratios are in proportion

`2(1)/(2)\colon3(1)/(2)=n\colon2`

we can rewrite the expression as :

`(2(1)/(2))/(3(1)/(2))=\frac{n}{2\text{ }}`

Now we can see easily that that in order to solve for n , we just have to multiply both sides of the equation by 2

`2\cdot\lbrace(2(1)/(2))/(3(1)/(2))=\frac{n}{2\text{ }}\rbrace\cdot2`
`=(2\cdot2(1)/(2))/(3(1)/(2))=n`
`n=(2\cdot2(1)/(2))/(3(1)/(2))=(5)/(3(1)/(2))=(5)/((7)/(2))=5\cdot(2)/(7)=(10)/(7)`