Finding the Third Proportional to 72.38 and 158.63

Step by Step Solution

1. Step 1: Write the proportion equation
   72.38 : 158.63 = 158.63 : x
2. Step 2: Convert to fraction form
   72.38/158.63 = 158.63/x
3. Step 3: Cross multiply
   72.38x = 158.63 × 158.63
4. Step 4: Simplify right side
   72.38x = 25,161.89
5. Step 5: Solve for x
   x = 25,161.89/72.38
6. Step 6: Final answer
   x = 347.66