Quote:
Originally Posted by FierceDeity
Solve this:
n-(5n+2)=3(n-1)
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The trick is to get all the variables on one side and get an x=# to find the solution. Also, a term like -(something+something) is exactly the same as (-1)(something+something), so you can distribute the negative sign just like you would any other number.
Lets come up with a similar problem, but with different terms for an example. Oh, say...
3x-(4x+3)=2(x-4)
First, let's distribute the 2 on the right side of the equals sign. This means we will multiply the 2 on the outside of the parentheses to
all terms on the inside. Doing this should get you...
3x-(4x+3)=
2(x)+2(-4)
3x-(4x+3)=2x-8
Move the 2x term to the other side of the equals by subtracting it on both sides like so...
3x-(4x+3)
-2x=2x
-2x-8
3x-(4x+3)-2x=-8
From here we find two like terms on the left side of the equals sign, 3x and -2x. Let's combine the terms 3x and -2x with simple math, leaving us with...
x-(4x+3)=-8
Remember the distribution thing I mentioned in the first paragraph? We apply this to the terms in parentheses and get...
x+
(-1)(4x)+(-1)(3)=-8
x-4x-3=-8
Subtract -3 from both sides and combine like terms x and -4x, like we have done before to get...
-3x=-5
But we're still not done. Since we want to know what n is equal to, we have to get rid of that -3 in front of it. We can
divide both sides by -3 to get 1x on the right side, leaving us with our desired lone x term. And thus...
-3x/
-3=-5/
-3
The -3's cancel on the left, and we end up with...
x=5/3
We're done!
If any of these examples leave you confused, (or if, God forbid, I made a mistake), lemme know. I might not be around to answer and of these questions, but I'm sure someone else will be willing to help you out.
EDIT: DAMNIT DR. FISH, YOU STOLE MY THUNDER. D:<