document.write( "Question 59390This question is from textbook
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document.write( ": A common mistake when solving equations is the following:\r
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document.write( "The equation: 2(x - 2) = x + 3
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document.write( "First step in solving: 2x - 2 = x + 3\r
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document.write( "Write a clear explanation of what error has been made. What could be done to
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document.write( "avoid this error?
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Algebra.Com's Answer #40694 by Edwin McCravy(20064) You can put this solution on YOUR website! A common mistake when solving equations is the following:\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "The equation: 2(x - 2) = x + 3\r\n" ); document.write( "First step in solving: 2x - 2 = x + 3\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "Write a clear explanation of what error has been made. What \r\n" ); document.write( "could be done to avoid this error?\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "When removing parentheses using the distributive principle,\r\n" ); document.write( "the outer multiplier must be multiplied by EVERY term\r\n" ); document.write( "inside the parentheses, not just the first one only!\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "The mistake above is multiplying the outer multiplier 2\r\n" ); document.write( "by the first term in the parentheses x ONLY and forgetting\r\n" ); document.write( "to multiply the outer multiplier 2 by the second term, -2,\r\n" ); document.write( "to get -4, but instead erroneously just leaving it as -2 \r\n" ); document.write( "in the first step.\r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "The correct first step in solving is: 2x - 4 = x + 3 \r\n" ); document.write( "\r\n" ); document.write( "Edwin\n" ); document.write( " |