If x ≠ y, and x2y - xy2 : yz(x - y) : : xa2 - xb2 : w, then which of the options below gives an expression equivalent to w ?
- AOption (a)
za2 + zb2
- BOption (b)
za2 - zb2
- COption (c)
yza2 - yzb2
- DOption (d)
a2 - b2
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Correct answer
za2 - zb2
Why this answer is correct
Shortcut Trick
Simplify the First Ratio by factoring common terms: $x2y − xy2 : yz(x − y) \Rightarrow xy(x − y) : yz(x − y) = x : z$.
The Proportion now becomes: $x : z :: x(a2 − b2) : w$.
Divide the first term of each ratio by : $1 : z :: (a2 − b2) : w$.
By Direct Comparison, $w = z \times (a2 − b2) = za2 − zb2$.
∴ The correct answer is za2 − zb2.
Alternate Method
Given: $x2y − xy2 : yz(x − y) :: xa2 − xb2 : wx \neq y$.
Formula Used: If , then .
⇒ $\frac{x2y − xy2}{yz(x − y)} = \frac{xa2 − xb2}{w}$
⇒ $\frac{xy(x − y)}{yz(x − y)} = \frac{x(a2 − b2)}{w}$
Since , we have , so we can cancel it:
⇒ $\frac{xy}{yz} = \frac{x(a2 − b2)}{w}$
⇒ $\frac{x}{z} = \frac{x(a2 − b2)}{w}$
⇒ $w \times x = z \times x(a2 − b2)$
⇒ $w = z(a2 − b2)$
⇒ $w = za2 − zb2$
∴ The correct answer is za2 − zb2.
Additional Information
Property of Proportion
For any four quantities in proportion (), the product of extremes equals the product of means: .
Algebraic Factorization
Factorization is the process of breaking down an expression into a product of simpler factors, such as $x2y − xy2 = xy(x − y)$.
Difference of Squares
The identity $(a2 − b2) = (a − b)(a + b)$ is commonly used to simplify ratios involving squared terms.





