document.write( "Question 50200: Solve the following equation by clearing denominators and decimals first:\r
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Algebra.Com's Answer #33349 by AnlytcPhil(1806)\"\" \"About 
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Solve the following equation by clearing denominators \r\n" );
document.write( "and decimals first: \r\n" );
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document.write( "-2.3 - 4.2r = 37.58\r\n" );
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document.write( "Look at the number of digits after the three decimals:\r\n" );
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document.write( "-2.3 has one digit after the decimal\r\n" );
document.write( "-4.2 has one digit after the decimal\r\n" );
document.write( "37.58 has two digits after the decimal\r\n" );
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document.write( "The most number of digits after the decimal is two.\r\n" );
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document.write( "Therefore we must move all three of the decimals two\r\n" );
document.write( "places to the right in order to get them to become\r\n" );
document.write( "whole numbers.  This is the same as multiplying\r\n" );
document.write( "through by 100.\r\n" );
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document.write( " -2.3 with the decimal moved two places right is -230.\r\n" );
document.write( " -4.2 with the decimal moved two places right is -420.\r\n" );
document.write( "37.58 with the decimal moved two places right is 3758.\r\n" );
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document.write( "So the original equation\r\n" );
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document.write( "   -2.3 - 4.2r = 37.58\r\n" );
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document.write( "becomes\r\n" );
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document.write( "   -230 - 420r = 3758\r\n" );
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document.write( "add 230 to both sides:\r\n" );
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document.write( "   -230 - 420r = 3758\r\n" );
document.write( "   +230          +230\r\n" );
document.write( "  --------------------\r\n" );
document.write( "         -420r = 3988\r\n" );
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document.write( "Divide both sides by -420\r\n" );
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document.write( "       -420r     3988\r\n" );
document.write( "      ------- = ------\r\n" );
document.write( "       -420      -420\r\n" );
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document.write( "The fraction on the right side reduces \r\n" );
document.write( "by dividing numerator and denominator by 4.\r\n" );
document.write( "It is a negative fraction because the\r\n" );
document.write( "numerator is positive and the denominator\r\n" );
document.write( "is negative and a positive divided by a \r\n" );
document.write( "negative is negative:\r\n" );
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document.write( "            r = -997/105\r\n" );
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document.write( "or you can divide out the fraction and\r\n" );
document.write( "get this decimal\r\n" );
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document.write( "            r = -9.495238095  \r\n" );
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document.write( "Now since the smallest number of decimals\r\n" );
document.write( "places in the original equation was 1, \r\n" );
document.write( "round the final answer off the same way, so\r\n" );
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document.write( "            r = -9.5\r\n" );
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document.write( "Edwin
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