SOLUTION: i dont have a problem its more of a question with expression i know you have to do the same opperation to each side but how do you figure out wich number to use, allong with what a

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Question 252389: i dont have a problem its more of a question with expression i know you have to do the same opperation to each side but how do you figure out wich number to use, allong with what action * - + or/?
Found 2 solutions by richwmiller, edjones:
Answer by richwmiller(17219) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
somwhow you missed the intro to algebra or it wasn't presented.
generally when we are performing operations on both sides we have a picture of what we want at the end.
What do we want at the end is all the numbers on one side and the letters on the other.
why ?because we want to solve for the letter in terms of the numbers
for example
52x-2=6+50x
if we subtract 50x from both sides we will have x only on one side
2x-2=6
now we have all the letters on one side but we have numb ers on both sides
add two why 2 because 2-2=0
which will get rid of one more number on the left.
2x=6+2
2x=8
we are almost there
we still have that 2 on the left
so how can we get rid of it
divide by 2
because 2/2=1
so now we have 8/2 qnd 2/2
x=4

Answer by edjones(8007) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Good question!
We usually want to get an unknown variable (x for instance) on the left hand side of the equation and everything else on the right. We + - * / accordingly until the mission is accomplished.
a+b=c/d Find a, c and d.
.
a=c/d -b (subtract b from each side)
.
c=d(a+b) Multiply each side by d
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d=c/(a+b) multiply each side by d/(a+b)
.
Ed