Question 92006
Each of these two problems can be handled as a proportion and proportions can be converted
to the form of an equation by cross-multiplying ... multiplying the numerator on one side by 
the denominator on the other side of the proportion. Let's use this process on the two problems
you listed.
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In the first problem you can say that 44 pounds is to 5 acres as 1 pound is to x acres.
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In proportion form this is:
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{{{(44 lbs)/(5 acres) = (1 lb)/(x acres)}}}
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Notice that we have lbs in both numerators and acres in both denominators. That's a
good check to make sure we set it up correctly.
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Now we can cross multiply. Multiply the 44 (a numerator) times x (the denominator 
on the other side) and set that product equal to 1 (a numerator) times 5 (the denominator
on the other side). In equation form this is:
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{{{44 * x = 1 * 5}}}
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This simplifies to:
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{{{44x = 5}}}
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Solve for x by dividing both sides of this equation by 44 to get:
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{{{x = 5/44}}}
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and use a calculator to determine that 5 divided by 44 is 0.1136 which rounds to the nearest
hundredth as 0.11 acres.  
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For your second problem, the printer output is 41 pages in 12 minutes and this is proportional
to an unknown number of pages (call it x) in 1 minute.  In proportion form this can be
written as:
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{{{(41 pgs)/(12 mins) = (x pgs)/(1 min)}}}
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Both of the numerators are in terms of pages and both of the denominators are in terms of 
minutes.  That checks. By cross multiplying this becomes:
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{{{41*1 = 12*x}}}
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which simplifies to:
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{{{12x = 41}}}
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Solve for x by dividing both sides by 12 to get:
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{{{x = 41/12 = 3.41666}}}
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So in one minute the printer puts out 3.4166 pages which to the nearest hundredth is
3.42 pages.
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Hope this helps you to understand the problem and how proportions can be used to solve problems 
such as these.