document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=118560>Question 118560</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> what is \"x\" in this equation?: <IMG STYLE=\"max-width:80%;\" SRC=/cgi-bin/plot-formula.mpl?expression=3%28x-5%29%2B7=16 ALIGN=MIDDLE  ALT=\"3%28x-5%29%2B7=16\"   DISABLED_style= \"max-width:90%; height:auto;\" > </SPAN>\n" );
document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #86685 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><B>bucky(2189)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=bucky><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/nopicture.jpg><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=86685\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> Given:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "3(x - 5) + 7 = 16<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "to solve, first do the distributed multiplication on the left side by multiplying 3 times<BR>\n" );
document.write( "each of the terms inside the parentheses. When you do that multiplication, the equation<BR>\n" );
document.write( "becomes:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "3x - 15 + 7 = 16<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "On the left side combine the -15 and the +7 to get -8 ... making the equation:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "3x - 8 = 16<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Get rid of the -8 on the left side by adding 8 to both sides. On the left side the -8 adds to<BR>\n" );
document.write( "+8 to cancel out. On the right side the 16 and + 8 adds to 24 and the resulting equation is:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "3x = 24<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Solve for x by dividing both sides of this equation by 3 to get:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "x = 24/3 = 8<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The answer is x = 8<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Check by returning to the original equation and replacing x by 8. The original equation is:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "3(x-5)+7=16<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Substitute 8 for x and it becomes:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "3(8 - 5) + 7 = 16<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Combine the 8 and -5 inside the parentheses to get + 3 and the equation then is:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "3(+3) + 7 = 16<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "The 3 times +3 equals 9 which makes the equation:<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "9 + 7 = 16<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "And this is obviously true ... 9 plus 7 does equal 16. So our answer of x = 8 checks out<BR>\n" );
document.write( "as being correct.<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Hope this helps you to understand the process of solving this problem and how you can check<BR>\n" );
document.write( "the answer to ensure that it is correct.<BR>\n" );
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