SOLUTION: The gasoline gauge on a van initially read 1/8 full. When 9 gallons were added to the tank, the gauge read 1/2 full. How many more gallons are needed to fill the tank?

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Question 758680: The gasoline gauge on a van initially read 1/8 full. When 9 gallons were added to the tank, the gauge read 1/2 full. How many more gallons are needed to fill the tank?
Found 2 solutions by Cromlix, Edwin McCravy:
Answer by Cromlix(4381) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
1/2 - 1/8 = 3/8
Therefore 3/8 = 9 galls
1 full tank = 9*8/3
1 full tank = 24 gallons
1/8 of 24 galls = 3 gallons
So, 3 gallons in initially
9 gallons added to 1/2 mark
12 gallons require to be added to
the tank to fill it.
Hope this helps.
:-)

Answer by Edwin McCravy(20060) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The gasoline gauge on a van initially read 1/8 full. When 9 gallons were added to the tank, the gauge read 1/2 full. How many more gallons are needed to fill the tank?
Let x = the number of gallons the tank holds when full.

Then initially the tank contained 1%2F8x gallons.

Then when 9 gallons were added, it contained 1%2F8x + 9.

Therefore. our equation comes from:

%22%22%2B%22%22%28matrix%286%2C1%2C%0D%0A%0D%0AThe%2C+9%2C+gallons%2C+that%2C+were%2C+added%29%29%22%22=%22%22%28matrix%283%2C1%2C%0D%0A%0D%0AHalf%2Ca%2Ctank%29%29

expr%281%2F8%29x%22%22%2B%22%229%22%22=%22%22expr%281%2F2%29x

Multiply through by the LCD of 8

x + 72 = 4x
    72 = 3x
    24 = x

So the tank holds 24 gallons.

Answer:  When it is half full, it holds 12 gallons, therefore 12
more gallons are needed to fill the tank.

Edwin