document.write( "Question 611792: Can you please walk me through the steps to solve this problem? (x-1)/(x+3)=(x+2)/(x-4) \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #385169 by josmiceli(19441) $\"\"$ $\"About$

You can put this solution on YOUR website!
$\"++%28x-1%29+%2F+%28x%2B3%29+=+%28x%2B2%29+%2F+%28x-4%29+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Multiply both sides by $\"+%28+x+%2B+3+%29%2A%28+x+-+4+%29+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Note that when you multiply both sides of any
\n" ); document.write( "equation by the same thing, the equation is still
\n" ); document.write( "true.
\n" ); document.write( "

\n" ); document.write( " $\"+%28+x+-+4+%29%2A%28+x+-+1+%29+=+%28+x+%2B+3+%29%2A%28+x+%2B+2+%29+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Expand each side
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+x%5E2+-+4x+-+x+%2B+4+=+x%5E2+%2B+3x+%2B+2x+%2B+6+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Subtract $\"+x%5E2+\"$ from each side
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+-4x+-+x+%2B+4+=+3x+%2B+2x+%2B+6+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Combine like terms
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+-5x+%2B+4+=+5x+%2B+6+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Add $\"+5x+\"$ to both sides
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+4+=+10x+%2B+6+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Subtract $\"+6+\"$ from both sides
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+10x+=+-2+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Divide both sides by $\"+10+\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+x+=+-+2%2F10+\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+x+=+-1%2F5+\"$ answer
\n" ); document.write( "-------------------
\n" ); document.write( "You can easily check this. $\"+-2%2F10+=+-.2+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Plug this back into original equation.
\n" ); document.write( " $\"++%28x-1%29+%2F+%28x%2B3%29+=+%28x%2B2%29+%2F+%28x-4%29+\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"++%28-.2-1%29+%2F+%28-.2%2B3%29+=+%28-.2%2B2%29+%2F+%28-.2-4%29+\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"++%28+-1.2+%29+%2F+%28+2.8+%29+=+%28+1.8%29+%2F+%28+-4.2+%29+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "Now do the divisions with a calculator
\n" ); document.write( " $\"+-.4285714+=+-.4285714+\"$
\n" ); document.write( "OK \n" ); document.write( "

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