SOLUTION: Refer to the number line. Find the coordinate of point Y such that the ratio of MY to YJ is 2:3.

Question 1196035: Refer to the number line. Find the coordinate of point Y such that the ratio of MY to YJ is 2:3.

Found 2 solutions by ikleyn, greenestamps:
Answer by ikleyn(52788) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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Refer to the number line. Find the coordinate of point Y such that the ratio of MY to YJ is 2:3.
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Makes no sense, as posted.

The key input info is LOST in this post.

Answer by greenestamps(13200) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Obviously we can't help you find the answer, since you don't show us the number line.

But we can tell you how YOU can find the answer....

I will assume that point Y is between M and J; the solution method would be different if it were not.

Let the given points on the number line be M = a and J = b. Then here are two ways you can solve the problem.

(1) Use the given ratio to determine what fraction of the distance from M to J point Y is located. Then to find the coordinate of Y, add that fraction of the distance from M to J to the coordinate of M.

This possible sounds confusing, but if you use this method a couple of times, it should make sense.

The ratio MY:YJ is 2:3. That means Y is 2/(2+3) = 2/5 of the way from M to J. So to find the coordinate of Y, add 2/5 of the distance from M to J to the coordinate of M. The distance from M to J is (b-a), so

I'll pick some numbers for M and J to show a sample calculation by this method.

M = 7; J = 13
distance from M to J: 13-7 = 6
2/5 of the distance from M to J: (2/5)6 = 12/5 = 2.4
coordinate of Y: 7 + 2.4 = 9.4

(2) Treat the problem as a "mixture" problem.

It is harder to understand how this method works; but the required calculations are shorter. Many students like this method; but some find it too confusing.

Since the given ratio is 2:3, the coordinates of M and J must be "mixed" with 2 parts of one and 3 parts of the other. The confusing part to this method is that the ratio 2:3 means Y is closer to M than to J, so the "mixture" must use 3 parts of the coordinate of M and 2 parts of the coordinate of J.

So the calculation for the coordinate of Y is (3/5) of a plus (2/5) of b:

Using this method on the same example as above, with M = 7 and J = 13, the calculation is

Try both of these methods on your problem and see which "works" better for you.

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