SOLUTION: what is the answer to {{{ 5/x + 3 = 17 }}} and how do you write it out and can you show me how you got the answer thank you

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Question 532493: what is the answer to +5%2Fx+%2B+3+=+17+ and how do you write it out and can you show me how you got the answer thank you
Answer by KMST(5328) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
When solving simple equations like this, you want to undo all the evil things that were done to x in reverse order.
The division 5%2Fx was done first, and then 3 was added.
We undo the addition of 3 first, by subtracting 3 from both sides.
That transforms the equation into one that is equivalent. All the solutions of the old equation are solutions of the new one and all the solutions of the new equation are solutions of the old one.
From 5%2Fx%2B3=17 we go to
5%2Fx%2B3-3=17-3 and simplify to 5%2Fx=14
Then, so as not to have x in the denominator, we multiply both sides by x. Multiplying by anything with a variable in it may introduce new (extraneous) solutions, so when we do it we are extra careful to verify that the solution we get works for the original equation.
%285%2Fx%29%2Ax=14%2Ax and simplify to 5=14x
Now we see x multiplied by 14, so we divide both sides by 14 to get
5%2F14=14x%2F14 and simplify to 5%2F14=x
So x=5%2F14 seems to be the solution.
We need to verify in the original equation.
5%2F%285%2F14%29%2B3=5%2A%2814%2F5%29%2B3=14%2B3=17
It works, so x=5%2F14 is the solution.