Why are the solutions to the proportions StartFraction 40 over 8 EndFraction = StartFraction x over 10 EndFraction and StartFraction x over 40 EndFraction = StartFraction 10 over 8 EndFraction the same? Because both result in the equation 8 x = 400, which simplifies to x = 5 because both result in the equation 8 x = 400, which simplifies to x = 50 because both result in the equation 40 x = 80, which simplifies to x = 2 because both result in the equation 40 x = 80, which simplifies to x = 20