If y varies inversely as x and y = - 2 when x = - 8, find x when y = 2.

To solve this problem, we can use the inverse variation formula, which states that y varies inversely as x if y = k/x, where k is a constant.

Step 1: Determine the value of k. Given that y = -2 when x = -8, we can substitute these values into the inverse variation formula: -2 = k/(-8)

To solve for k, we can cross-multiply: -2 * (-8) = k 16 = k

So, the value of k is 16.

Step 2: Find x when y = 2. Now that we know the value of k, we can use the inverse variation formula to find x when y = 2: 2 = 16/x

To solve for x, we can cross-multiply: 2 * x = 16 x = 16/2 x = 8

Therefore, when y = 2, x is equal to 8.