To determine the number of inches per foot, we start with the information given in the problem. We know that 4 feet is equal to 48 inches.
The equation given is: \[ 4y = 48x \]
To interpret this equation, we need to identify what \(y\) and \(x\) represent. From the problem, we can assume:
- \(y\) is the number of inches in one foot.
- \(x\) is the number of feet.
Rearranging the equation, we can write it as: \[ y = \frac{48x}{4} \]
We simplify that to: \[ y = 12x \]
This suggests that for every foot (when \(x = 1\)): \[ y = 12 \cdot 1 = 12 \]
Therefore, there are 12 inches in one foot.