document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=486663>Question 486663</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> If 2a/a + 1/a = 4, then a = ? </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #332650 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><B>bucky(2189)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><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=332650\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> You can get rid of the \"a\"s in the denominator by multiplying all terms on both sides by a as follows:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28a%2A2a%29%2Fa+%2B+%28a%2A1%29%2Fa+=+a%2A4 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28a%2A2a%29%2Fa+%2B+%28a%2A1%29%2Fa+=+a%2A4\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The a in the numerator cancels with the a in the denominator as follows:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28cross%28a%29%2A2a%29%2Fcross%28a%29%2B+%28cross%28a%29%2A1%29%2Fcross%28a%29+=+4a ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28cross%28a%29%2A2a%29%2Fcross%28a%29%2B+%28cross%28a%29%2A1%29%2Fcross%28a%29+=+4a\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "and what's left is:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2a+%2B+1+=+4a ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2a+%2B+1+=+4a\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Subtract 4a from both sides:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=2a+-+4a+%2B+1+=+4a+-+4a ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"2a+-+4a+%2B+1+=+4a+-+4a\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "and this simplifies to:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-2a+%2B+1+=+0 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-2a+%2B+1+=+0\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Next subtract 1 from both sides:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-2a+%2B+1+-+1+=+-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-2a+%2B+1+-+1+=+-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "On the left side the +1 and -1 cancel each other out and this reduces the equation to:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=-2a+=+-1 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"-2a+=+-1\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Solve for a by dividing both sides by -2:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=%28-2a%29%2F%28-2%29+=+%28-1%29%2F%28-2%29 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"%28-2a%29%2F%28-2%29+=+%28-1%29%2F%28-2%29\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "and the answer becomes:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "<IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=a+=+1%2F2 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"a+=+1%2F2\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" ><BR>\n" );
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document.write( "That's the answer to this problem.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Hope this helps you to see your way through the problem.<BR>\n" );
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