SOLUTION: Im trying to help my son out and i have no clue how to do these problems. Please help!! HJ = x and IK = 2x - 7 And HJ = 3x +5 and IK= 5x-9

Algebra ->  Formulas -> SOLUTION: Im trying to help my son out and i have no clue how to do these problems. Please help!! HJ = x and IK = 2x - 7 And HJ = 3x +5 and IK= 5x-9      Log On


   

Question 703167: Im trying to help my son out and i have no clue how to do these problems. Please help!!
HJ = x and IK = 2x - 7
And
HJ = 3x +5 and IK= 5x-9
Answer by KMST(5328) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Although it is not clear,
I assume you are listing parts of two different problems.
There must be clues, probably in a figure that goes with the problem.
I do not see the picture that must be part of the problems, so I can only guess.
I imagine there is a rectangle HIJK.
Maybe the angles are marked with little squares to indicate they are right angles,
or maybe there is something else that indicates HIJK is a a rectangle.
That would be the clue.
If HIJK is a rectangle, the lengths of diagonals HJ and IK are the same.

HJ = x and IK = 2x - 7
If geometry tells you that the lengths of HJ and IK are the same, you could write
2x-7=x and that is now an algebra problem.
Subtract x from both sides of the equal sign to get x-7=0
Add 7 to both sides to get highlight%28x=7%29

HJ = 3x +5 and IK= 5x-9
If geometry tells you that the lengths of HJ and IK are the same, you could write
5x-9=3x%2B5 and that is now an algebra problem.
Subtract 3x from both sides of the equal sign to get 2x-9=5
Add 9 to both sides to get 2x=14
Divide both sides by 2 to get highlight%28x=7%29