document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=181549>Question 181549</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> What does it mean to solve a linear equation in one variable, the objective is to isolate the variable on one side of the equation. </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #136142 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Mathtut><B>Mathtut(3670)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Mathtut><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=136142\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> this means that there is only 1 variable present and the goal is to isolate the variable on one side of the equation to find its value.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "for instance: 3a+15=4(a-5)<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "now in order to find a's value, you want to isolate it on one side and want the constant(fixed values) on the other <BR>\n" );
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document.write( "3a+15=2(a-5)<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "first thing we do is distribute the right side<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "3a+15=2a-10<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "now we need to subtract 2a from both sides to get a's on one side<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "3a-2a+15=2a-2a-10....as you can see on the right the 2a's cancel each other and 3a-2a=a......so we are left with<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "a+15=-10.......now we need to get the constants all on the right<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "a=-15-10......we subtracted 15 from both sides of the equation<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=highlight%28a=-25%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"highlight%28a=-25%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > we combined the constant terms<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "now if you plug -25 back into the equation it should make it a true statement<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "3(-25)+15=2(-25)-10<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "-75+15=-50-10<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "-60=-60.......check we got the correct answer </SPAN>\n" );
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