SOLUTION: Instructions: write and solve an equation to solve for the value of x for the square. (And it shows a picture of a square with 4x on bottom of square and 36-5x on right side of sq

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Question 656636: Instructions: write and solve an equation to solve for the value of x for the square.
(And it shows a picture of a square with 4x on bottom of square and 36-5x on right side of square). What I did was 4x = 36-5x, then I subtracted 4 from both sides, and got 36-9x, then I subtracted 9 from both sides and got -4. Is this correct?
Answer by solver91311(24713) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

You were good to go at . Then if you subtracted 4 from both sides you would have had which is just a bigger mess to clean up. What you actually did was subtract from both sides, leaving you with and causing you to have to do another step...bad form.

Add to both sides, then multiply by

And give me your address so that I can come wash your mouth out with soap if you ever say the word "subtract" again as long as you live. NEVER subtract, instead, add the opposite. Same thing with divide. NEVER divide; multiply by the reciprocal.

John

My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it