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CEMC Fermat

Algebra Difficulty 2.8 Junior Find the answer

If x−yz−y=−10\frac{x-y}{z-y}=-10, what is the value of x−zy−z\frac{x-z}{y-z}?

A number or a short expression. Fractions can be typed as 3/2, and spacing doesn't matter.

Solution

Since the problem asks us to find the value of x−zy−z\frac{x-z}{y-z}, then this value must be the same no matter what x,yx, y and zz we choose that satisfy x−yz−y=−10\frac{x-y}{z-y}=-10. Thus, if we can find numbers x,yx, y and zz that give x−yz−y=−10\frac{x-y}{z-y}=-10, then these numbers must give the desired value for x−zy−z\frac{x-z}{y-z}. If x=10,y=0x=10, y=0 and z=−1z=-1, then x−yz−y=−10\frac{x-y}{z-y}=-10. In this case, x−zy−z=10−(−1)0−(−1)=111=11\frac{x-z}{y-z}=\frac{10-(-1)}{0-(-1)}=\frac{11}{1}=11.

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