Multiply both sides of the equation x /2 = 17 by 2.
Simplify the left side of the equation: 2 x × 2 = x .
Calculate the right side of the equation: 17 × 2 = 34 .
The solution is x = 34 .
Explanation
Understanding the Problem We are given the equation x /2 = 17 and asked to solve for x . This means we need to isolate x on one side of the equation.
Isolating x To isolate x , we can multiply both sides of the equation by 2. This gives us: 2 x × 2 = 17 × 2
Solving for x Simplifying the equation, we get: x = 34
Final Answer Therefore, the solution is x = 34 . Looking at the multiple-choice options, we see that option C is the correct answer.
Examples
Imagine you're baking a cake and the recipe calls for half a cup of sugar, but you want to make two cakes. To find out how much sugar you need in total, you would solve the equation x /2 = 1 , where x is the total amount of sugar needed. Multiplying both sides by 2, you find that x = 2 cups of sugar are needed. This simple algebraic equation helps in scaling recipes and understanding proportions in cooking.