document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=1024639>Question 1024639</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> what is y\" of xy=2 </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #640022 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=640022\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> both x and y are variables that represent the value of something.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "unless you are told what that something is, you have no way of knowing.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "since you have two variables in one equation, the best you can do is solve for one of the variables in terms of the other.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "you would solve for y as follows:\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "start with xy = 2.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "divide both sides of the equation by x to get xy/x = 2/x.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "simplify to get y = 2/x.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "similarly, you would solve for x to get x = y/2.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "now you have a relationship that you can use if you know the value of one of the variables in question.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "for example.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "you are given that xy = 2.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "you are also given that x = 2.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "you want to find the value of y.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "replace x with 2 in the equation xy = 2 to get 2y = 2.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "divide both sides of the equation by 2 to get y = 1.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "you now know that, if x = 2, y = 1, because 2 * 1 = 2.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "you still don't know what they represent, but you at least know how to find the value of one of them given the value of the other.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "i'm trying to think of a real world example.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "let's say you have 2 dollars to spend.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "you can buy x number of items at an average cost of y dollars apiece.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "suppose the cost of the items you want to buy have an average price of .01 dollars each.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "in the formula for xy = 2, you will want to solve for x because you know the value of y.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "xy = 2 becomes x = 2/y when you are solving for x.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "replace y with .01 and the formula becomes x = 2/.01.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "solve for x to get x = 200.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "you can buy 200 items at a cost of .01 dollars apiece and your total cost will be 2 dollars.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "as i said before, however, you would not know what y or x represents unless you are told.\r<BR>\n" );
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