Answer
$F$
Work Step by Step
According to the triangle-angle-bisector theorem, when a ray bisects the angle of a triangle, the opposite side is divided into two segments that are proportional to the remaining two sides of the triangle.
Let's set up a proportion that compares the segments of the intersected side to the other two sides:
$\frac{8.5}{x} = \frac{17}{9}$
Use the cross product property to get rid of the fractions:
$17x = 8.5(9)$
Multiply to simplify:
$17x = 76.5$
Divide each side of the equation by $17$ to solve for $x$:
$x = 4.5$
The answer is option $F$.