document.write( "Question 1188525: 6 subtracted from 3 times a number is 30 \n" ); document.write( "

Algebra.Com's Answer #819647 by greenestamps(13209) $\"\"$ $\"About$

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\n" ); document.write( "Note that the statement of the problem in words is ambiguous:

\n" ); document.write( "(1) \"6\", subtracted from \"3 times a number\" is 30:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"3x-6=30\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"3x=36\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"x=12\"$

\n" ); document.write( "or

\n" ); document.write( "(2) \"6 subtracted from 3\", times \"a number\", is 30:
\n" ); document.write( " $\"%283-6%29x=30\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"-3x=30\"$
\n" ); document.write( " $\"x=-10\"$

\n" ); document.write( "Those are clearly two very different equations with two very different solutions.

\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "

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