To determine how much money Xavier had, we need to use algebra to set up and solve the equation correctly. We know that Lucy had [tex]$72, which is nine times as much money as Xavier had. Let’s represent Xavier's money with \( x \).
We start with the given relationship:
\[ 9x = 72 \]
Now, we solve for \( x \) by isolating the variable:
1. Divide both sides of the equation by 9 to isolate \( x \):
\[ x = \frac{72}{9} \]
2. Perform the division:
\[ x = 8 \]
So, Xavier had \$[/tex]8.
Thus, the correct solution method is:
A. [tex]\( 9x = 72 \)[/tex]. Divide both sides by 9. Xavier had \$8.
