document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=209238>Question 209238</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> if x and y are two different real numbers and xz = yz then what is the value of z?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "a)x - y  b) 1  c) x/y  d) y/x  e) 0  </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #158161 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><B>Theo(13342)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Theo><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=Theo><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=158161\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> z has to be equal to 0.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "that would be answer (e)<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "here's why.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "x and y are two different numbers not equal to each other.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "xz = yz<BR>\n" );
document.write( "subtract yz from both sides of the equation to get:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "xz - yz = 0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "factor out z to get:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(x-y)*z = 0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "this means that:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "(x-y) = 0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "or:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "z = 0<BR>\n" );
document.write( "or:<BR>\n" );
document.write( "both<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "(x-y) can't be 0 because that would mean that x = y which violates the problem statement.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "this means that z must = 0<BR>\n" );
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