Fraction!

Algebra Level 1

The product of two numbers x and y is twice the sum of the numbers. What is the sum of the reciprocals of x and y?

2 1/2 1/8 4 1/4

This section requires Javascript.
You are seeing this because something didn't load right. We suggest you, (a) try refreshing the page, (b) enabling javascript if it is disabled on your browser and, finally, (c) loading the non-javascript version of this page . We're sorry about the hassle.

2 solutions

Mamun Abdullah
Aug 31, 2015

Here, xy=2(x+y)

Now sum of the reciprocals of x and y is,

1/x+1/y = (x+y)/(xy) = (x+y)/(2(x+y)) = 1/2

Let the two numbers be x x and y y . Then the first equation is

x y = 2 ( x + y ) xy=2(x+y)

The sum of their reciprocals is

1 x + 1 y \dfrac{1}{x}+ \dfrac{1}{y}

The sum of their reciprocals can also be written as

1 x + 1 y = y + x x y \dfrac{1}{x}+ \dfrac{1}{y}=\dfrac{y+x}{xy}

Substitute the first equation to the above equation, we have

y + x x y = y + x 2 ( y + x ) = 1 2 \dfrac{y+x}{xy}=\dfrac{y+x}{2(y+x)}=\boxed{\dfrac{1}{2}}

0 pending reports

×

Problem Loading...

Note Loading...

Set Loading...