Question

solve for x,
24/20=x/50

Answer 1

It's a ratio, just simplify the one fraction to make multiplying easier.

24/20 = x/50
6/5 = x/50

now cross multiply
300 = 5x
x = 60

Answer 2

im still confused..how'd you get it to 60? but how do i know if its a ratio or not?

Answer 3

Not a problem. Let me rewrite this as nice fractions, so you can visualize it better. You know it's a ratio because you have two fractions set equal to each other, and there is a variable.

\[\frac{ 24 }{ 20 } = \frac{ x }{ 50 }\]Because 24 and 20 have a greatest common factor of 4, we can divide each by that to simplify the fraction.
\[\frac{ 6 }{ 5 } = \frac{ x }{ 50 }\]Now you could simplify the 6 and 50 if you wanted to as well, because they are diagonal from each other. So let's do that too!
\[\frac{ 3 }{ 5 } = \frac{ x }{ 25 }\]Now simply cross-multiply!
\[3*25 = 5x \] OR
\[75 = 5x\]Now simply divide to finish solving for x.
\[x = \frac{ 75 }{ 5 } = 15\]