Simplifying the College Math Equation Step-by-Step

When preparing for the College Math CLEP Exam, you can’t underestimate the power of understanding equations—like the one we’re about to break down. It's all about grasping the concept and honing your skills, which can make you feel more confident as the exam approaches.

Let’s take a closer look at the equation: 5x/y = z. Here’s the deal: If you know the values of x and y, you can easily figure out what z is. For this problem, we’ve got x = 7 and y = 4. So, let’s see what we can do!

Substituting Values
You know what? This step is super crucial. It’s where you take the values you have and plug them into the equation. So, we replace x and y:

[ z = \frac{5(7)}{4} ]

This can be simplified to:

[ z = \frac{35}{4} ]

Now, what does that give us?

Dividing It Up
When you do the math, you’ll be dividing 35 by 4. Let’s break that down:

[ z = 8.75 ]

So, z=8.75 based on our calculations. But, hang in there for a second—this isn’t represented by any of the options we might see on a test. Why is that?

Understanding Answer Choices
If we look at some potential options provided:

• A. 1.7 – Nope, that’s actually 7 divided by 4. Not what we’re looking for.
• B. 21 – Ding, ding, ding! This aligns with another abstract form of our equation, but let’s clarify.
• C. 3.5 – That’s merely 5 divided by 4. Definitely not it.
• D. 35 – Hold on, that’s just multiplying 7 by 5. So, wrong again.

So the actual value we calculated (8.75) doesn't play into those multiple-choice answers, specific to this example, yet it reiterates the importance of knowing how to navigate such calculations. Though none of our options matched up, what can we learn from this?

Wrap-Up and Take-Away
It’s not just about finding z; it’s about understanding the relations between numbers and equations. Tackling these problems may feel daunting, yet with consistent practice, you get pretty sharp at identifying different components. Maybe even throwing in a couple of weird-looking fractions here and there won’t seem so scary after all!

As you prepare, remember to keep experimenting with equations, don’t shy away from getting some practice problems in, and refine your problem-solving muscles. The journey to mastering college math is just that—a journey!

And who knows? Next time you hit an equation, you might just breeze right through it. So, good luck, stay curious, and keep crunching those numbers until you're absolutely confident. You've got this!