Finding the Fourth Proportional to 131.71, 197.59 and 40.42

Step by Step Solution

1. Step 1: Write the proportion equation
   131.71 : 197.59 = 40.42 : x
2. Step 2: Convert to fraction form
   131.71/197.59 = 40.42/x
3. Step 3: Cross multiply
   131.71x = 197.59 × 40.42
4. Step 4: Simplify right side
   131.71x = 7,986.69
5. Step 5: Solve for x
   x = 7,986.69/131.71
6. Step 6: Final answer
   x = 60.64