Question

Find the ratio of x to y.

3x = 8y

Answer 1

x = 8/3y

Answer 2

I believe that "find the ratio of x to y" literally means solving for (x/y).

Starting with FutureMathProfessor's result, x = 8/3y, simply divide both sides of the equation by y:

\[x=\left( 8/3 \right)y\]
becomes
\[\frac{ x }{ y }=\frac{ 8 }{3}.\]

That's it! In other words, that's the "ratio of x to y."

Answer 3

3x means it is 3 times x. 8y means it is 8 times y.
3 times x equals 8 times y. That means, there needs to be 8/3 times y for each x.