What is x over 0.5 equals 7 over 8?

Answer 1

To solve this problem you need to get x by itself. The proper math term is to isolate the variable.

x = 7

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0.5 8

First, multiply both sides by (0.5). That gives an equivalent equation of x = 3.5/8. A calculator would give you 0.4375 or the fraction 7/16.

Some teachers and texts emphasize the method "cross multiply and divide" without really explaining what it means. To use that method, we would say that 8x = 0.5(7). Then divide both sides by 8 to get x = (0.5)(7)(8) and simplify to 0.4375 for x.