Question 181549: What does it mean to solve a linear equation in one variable, the objective is to isolate the variable on one side of the equation. Answer by Mathtut(3670) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! this means that there is only 1 variable present and the goal is to isolate the variable on one side of the equation to find its value.
:
for instance: 3a+15=4(a-5)
:
now in order to find a's value, you want to isolate it on one side and want the constant(fixed values) on the other
:
3a+15=2(a-5)
:
first thing we do is distribute the right side
:
3a+15=2a-10
:
now we need to subtract 2a from both sides to get a's on one side
:
3a-2a+15=2a-2a-10....as you can see on the right the 2a's cancel each other and 3a-2a=a......so we are left with
:
a+15=-10.......now we need to get the constants all on the right
:
a=-15-10......we subtracted 15 from both sides of the equation
: we combined the constant terms
:
now if you plug -25 back into the equation it should make it a true statement
:
3(-25)+15=2(-25)-10
:
-75+15=-50-10
:
-60=-60.......check we got the correct answer
(