In this problem, we are dealing with direct variation, which means that y is proportional to x. The relationship can be expressed with the equation y = kx, where k is the constant of variation. First, we find k using the values provided: when y = 56 and x = 4, we substitute these values into the equation to get 56 = k * 4. Solving for k gives us k = 14. Now, to find y when x = 3, we substitute k and x into the equation: y = 14 * 3, which simplifies to y = 42. Thus, when x = 3, y equals 42.