Finding the Third Proportional to 972 and 2,080.50

Step by Step Solution

1. Step 1: Write the proportion equation
   972 : 2,080.50 = 2,080.50 : x
2. Step 2: Convert to fraction form
   972/2,080.50 = 2,080.50/x
3. Step 3: Cross multiply
   972x = 2,080.50 × 2,080.50
4. Step 4: Simplify right side
   972x = 4,328,480.25
5. Step 5: Solve for x
   x = 4,328,480.25/972
6. Step 6: Final answer
   x = 4,453.17