Question
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1. Determine the value(s) of \( x \) in the equation below: \[ \frac{8}{x}=\frac{x}{2} \]

Ask by Rowe Harrington. in the United States
Jan 23,2025

Real Tutor Solution

Tutor-Verified Answer

Answer

The solutions are \( x = 4 \) and \( x = -4 \).

Solution

To solve the equation: \[ \frac{8}{x} = \frac{x}{2} \] **Step 1: Eliminate the Fractions** To eliminate the denominators, multiply both sides of the equation by \( 2x \) (assuming \( x \neq 0 \)): \[ 2x \cdot \frac{8}{x} = 2x \cdot \frac{x}{2} \] **Step 2: Simplify Both Sides** \[ 2x \cdot \frac{8}{x} = 16 \quad \text{(since \( x \) cancels out)} \] \[ 2x \cdot \frac{x}{2} = x^2 \quad \text{(since 2 and 2 cancel out)} \] Now the equation becomes: \[ 16 = x^2 \] **Step 3: Solve for \( x \)** To find \( x \), take the square root of both sides: \[ x = \sqrt{16} \quad \text{or} \quad x = -\sqrt{16} \] \[ x = 4 \quad \text{or} \quad x = -4 \] **Step 4: Verify the Solutions** It's good practice to substitute the solutions back into the original equation to ensure they are valid. 1. **For \( x = 4 \):** \[ \frac{8}{4} = \frac{4}{2} \Rightarrow 2 = 2 \quad \text{(True)} \] 2. **For \( x = -4 \):** \[ \frac{8}{-4} = \frac{-4}{2} \Rightarrow -2 = -2 \quad \text{(True)} \] **Conclusion** The solutions to the equation \( \frac{8}{x} = \frac{x}{2} \) are: \[ x = 4 \quad \text{and} \quad x = -4 \]

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The Deep Dive

To solve the equation \( \frac{8}{x} = \frac{x}{2} \), you can start by cross-multiplying to eliminate the fractions. This gives you: \[ 8 \cdot 2 = x \cdot x, \] which simplifies to: \[ 16 = x^2. \] Now, by taking the square root of both sides, you find: \[ x = 4 \quad \text{or} \quad x = -4. \] So the values of \( x \) are \( 4 \) and \( -4 \).

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