Question 1005123
1.The variable Z is inversely proportional to X.  When X is 3, Z has the value 6.  What is the value of Z when X = 12?
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z = k/x  (k is some constant)
6 = k/3 --> k = 18
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At x = 12:
z = k/x = 18/12
z = 1.5
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Or,
x*z = k
3*6 = x*12
x = 1.5 
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2.The variable Z is directly proportional to X, and inversely proportional to Y.  
When X is 3 and Y is 6, Z has the value 9.5
z = k*x/y
9.5 = k*3/6 --> k = 19
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What is the value of Z when X = 8, and Y = 12?
z = 19*8/12
z = 38/3
I keep getting 38/3 for this one and it's wrong.
It's not wrong.
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3. On a particular day, the wind added 5 miles per hour to Alfonso's rate when he was cycling with the wind and subtracted 5 miles per hour from his rate on his return trip. Alfonso found that in the same amount of time he could cycle 60 miles with the wind, he could go only 30 miles against the wind.  What is his normal bicycling speed with no wind?
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r = no wind speed
60/(r+5) = 30/(r-5)
Invert --> (r+5)/60 = (r-5)/30
r+5 = 2r-10
r = 15 mi/hr
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Biking speed is not linearly affected by windspeed.  The problem was worded in a manner that could be worked, tho.