Question

If y varies directly as x, and y is 180 when x is n and y is n when x is 5, what is the value of n?

Answer 1

Direct variation is in general:

\(y = kx\)

Plug in your two points into the general equation above and find two equations.
Then solve the equations simultaneously for k and n.

Answer 2

y = kx is the general form of an equation for a direct variation.
In each specific direct variation, k has its own value.