SOLUTION: A common mistake when solving equations is the following: The equation: 2(x - 2) = x + 3 First step in solving: 2x - 2 = x + 3

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Question 86056: A common mistake when solving equations is the following:
The equation: 2(x - 2) = x + 3
First step in solving: 2x - 2 = x + 3

Answer by bucky(2189) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Given the equation:
.
2%28x+-+2%29+=+x+%2B+3
.
Your first step results in:
.
2x+-+2+=+x+%2B+3
.
You have made a mistake in the distributive multiplication on the left side. You must multiply
the 2 times both quantities in the parentheses. You only multiplied the 2 times the 2x and
you forgot to multiply it times the -2 also. If you had done that you would have gotten:
.
2x+-+4+=+x+%2B+3
.
Subtracting x from both sides you would then get:
.
x+-+4+=+3
.
and then adding 4 to both sides would result in:
.
x+=+7
.
Hope this helps you to understand the problem and where the mistake was made.