document.write( "Question 535600: a number is added to five time its reciprocal is -6. Find the number. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #351963 by bucky(2189)\"\" \"About 
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As you described it, the problem you are trying to solve is:
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\n" ); document.write( "\"x+%2B+5%2Fx+=+-6\"
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\n" ); document.write( "Get rid of the denominator by multiplying both sides of the equation (all terms) by x and you have:
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\n" ); document.write( "\"%28x%2Ax%29+%2B+x%2A%285%2Fx%29+=+-6x\"
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\n" ); document.write( "Note that the first term on the left side becomes \"x%5E2\".
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\n" ); document.write( "Also note that in the second term on the left side, you can cancel the multiplier x with the denominator x. After these two actions the equation becomes:
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\n" ); document.write( "\"x%5E2+%2B+%28cross%28x%29%2A5%29%2Fcross%28x%29+=+-6x\"
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\n" ); document.write( "which simplifies to:
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\n" ); document.write( "\"x%5E2+%2B+5+=+-6x\"
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\n" ); document.write( "Get rid of the -6x on the right side by adding +6x to both sides to get:
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\n" ); document.write( "\"x%5E2+%2B+6x+%2B+5+=+0\"
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\n" ); document.write( "This quadratic equation can be factored as shown below:
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\n" ); document.write( "\"%28x+%2B+5%29%2A%28x+%2B+1%29+=+0\"
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\n" ); document.write( "Note that this equation will be true if either of the factors is equal to zero. If either factor is equal to zero the left side will have a multiplication by zero and will, therefore, equal the zero on the right side.
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\n" ); document.write( "So we can solve this equation by finding what numbers will make the two factors equal to zero. Do this by setting each factor (one at a time) equal to zero to get:
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\n" ); document.write( "\"x+%2B+5+=+0\" which is solved by subtracting 5 from both sides to get x = -5
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\n" ); document.write( "and
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\n" ); document.write( "\"x+%2B+1+=+0\" which is solved by subtracting 1 from both sides to get x = -1
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\n" ); document.write( "Your problem has two correct answers. They are x = -5 and x = -1.
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\n" ); document.write( "You can check these answers by returning to the original problem and substituting these values one at a time for x.
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\n" ); document.write( "\"x+%2B+5%2Fx+=+-6\"
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\n" ); document.write( "set x = -5 and you have:
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\n" ); document.write( "\"-5+%2B+5%2F-5+=+-6\" and this simplifies to \"-5+-1+=+-6\" which is true.
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\n" ); document.write( "Then set x = -1 and you have:
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\n" ); document.write( "\"-1+%2B+5%2F-1+=+-6\" and this simplifies to \"-1+-5+=+-6\" which is also true.
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\n" ); document.write( "Both answers are OK because they make the original problem true.
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\n" ); document.write( "Hope this helps you to understand the problem.
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