Question

point y divides line XZ such that XY:YZ is 3:11. what fraction of XZ is XY?

Answer 1

$\bf X\stackrel{3}{\rule[0.35em]{7em}{0.25pt}}Y\stackrel{11}{\rule[0.35em]{23em}{0.25pt}}Z$

so the line looks more or less like that, with Y splitting XZ on a 3:11 ratio.

that simply means, that XZ is split on 3+11 pieces, and XY is taking up 3 of those pieces.

$\bf \cfrac{XZ}{XY}\implies \cfrac{3+11}{3}\implies \cfrac{14}{3}$