Question

Solve for the variable in the following proportion.

1/4 is to 1 1/4 as 2 is to b

Answer 1

you can express 1 1/4 as 5/4
1/4 :5/4 is the same as 2:b
how you change from 1/4 to 5/4 will be the same way you change from 2 to b
(1/4)/(5/4) = 5 so you had to multiply 1/4 by 5 to get 5/4
so multiply (2) by 5 to get b; b=10

Answer 2

alternate
(1/4)/(5/4) = (2)/(b)
multiply across the =
(1/4)(b) = (2)(5/4)
multiply each side by 4
b = 10