document.write( "Question 88429: Find the value of x.\r
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document.write( "x=3s
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document.write( "x=(a+15)
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document.write( "s=(a-1) \n" );
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Algebra.Com's Answer #64265 by bucky(2189) ![]() You can put this solution on YOUR website! There are several ways you can do this problem. Here's one way. \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( "You are told that x = 3s and also that x = a + 15. Therefore, you can tell that since \n" ); document.write( "3s equals x and a + 15 equals x, then 3s must also equal a + 15. In equation form this is: \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( "Solve this equation for s by dividing both sides by 3 to get: \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( "Then you are also told that s = a - 1. So you can substitute a - 1 for s in the equation to get: \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( "Get rid of the denominator by multiplying all terms on both sides by 3 to get: \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( "Subtract a from both sides and the equation becomes: \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( "Add 3 to both sides: \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( "Solve for a by dividing both sides by 2: \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( "So now you know the value of a. And the problem originally told you that: \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( "Substitute 9 for a and you have: \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( "So the answer to your problem is that x = 24. You also know that a = 9, and since \n" ); document.write( "s = a - 1, you know that s = 9 - 1 = 8. And since you were told that x = 3s you can check \n" ); document.write( "by substituting 8 for s and get x = 3s = 3*8 = 24. So that checks the problem also. \n" ); document.write( ". \n" ); document.write( "Everything seems to work which helps to confirm that x = 24 is correct. \n" ); document.write( " |