When dividing fractions, why do we invert (find the reciprocal) and multiply?

According to the 2008 u.s. census, california had a population of approximately 4 × 10^7 people and florida had a population of approximately 2 × 10^7 people. which of the following is true? a. the population of florida was approximately two times the population of california. b. the population of florida was approximately twenty times the population of california. c. the population of california was approximately twenty times the population of florida. d. the population of california was approximately two times the population of florida.

Questions 9-10. use the table of educational expenditures to answer the questions. k-12 education expenditures population indiana $9.97 billion 6.6 million illinois $28.54 billion 12.9 million kentucky $6.58 billion 4.4 million michigan $16.85 billion 9.9 million ohio $20.23 billion 11.6million 9. if the amount of k-12 education expenses in indiana were proportional to those in ohio, what would have been the expected value of k-12 expenditures in indiana? (give the answer in billions rounded to the nearest hundredth) 10. use the value of k-12 education expenditures in michigan as a proportion of the population in michigan to estimate what the value of k-12 education expenses would be in illinois. a) find the expected value of k-12 expenditures in illinois if illinois were proportional to michigan. (give the answer in billions rounded to the nearest hundredth) b) how does this compare to the actual value for k-12 expenditures in illinois? (lower, higher, same? )

Solve the formula ax+ by = c for x.