How do you solve 6/a=3/8?

2 Answers
Anjali G
Jan 3, 2017

frac{6}{a}=3/8

Multiply each side by a:
6=3/8a

Isolate a by multiplying each side by the reciprocal of 3/8:
6*(8/3)=a

a=16

smendyka
Jan 3, 2017

Multiply each side of the equation by the lowest common denominator to eliminate the fractions and then solve for a. See full solution process below.

Explanation:

First, multiply each side of the equation by the lowest common denominator (in this case color(red)(8)color(blue)(a))to eliminate the fractions and keep the equation balanced:

6/color(blue)(a) xx color(red)(8)color(blue)(a) = 3/color(red)(8) xx color(red)(8)color(blue)(a)

6/cancel(color(blue)(a)) xx color(red)(8)cancel(color(blue)(a)) = 3/cancel(color(red)(8)) xx cancel(color(red)(8))color(blue)(a)

6 xx color(red)(8) = 3color(blue)(a)

48 = 3color(blue)(a)

We can now divide each side of the equation by color(red)(3) to solve for a and keep the equation balanced:

48/color(red)(3) = (3color(blue)(a))/color(red)(3)

16 = (color(red)(cancel(color(black)(3)))color(blue)(a))/cancel(color(red)(3))

16 = a

or

a = 16

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