SOLUTION: 3/7x=24 solve for x

Algebra ->  Complex Numbers Imaginary Numbers Solvers and Lesson -> SOLUTION: 3/7x=24 solve for x      Log On


   

Question 689237: 3/7x=24
solve for x
Answer by gatorEngineer(3) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
%283%2F7%29%2Ax=24
to solve this equation means to get an answer for x. So we want to get the equation in the form x=SOMETHING. So we try to get x alone on one side by doing the following:
---------------------------------------------------
Step 1: Multiply both sides of the equation by 7

%283%2F7%29%2A%287%29%2Ax=24%2A%287%29
why does this cancel the 7 on the left?
%283%2F7%29%2A%287%2F1%29
%28%283%2A7%29%2F%287%2A1%29%29
%28%283%2A7%29%2F%281%2A7%29%29
%28%283%2F1%29%2A%287%2F7%29%29
Anything divided by 1 equals itself (if there are 5 pencils and there is one person there are 5 pencils per person 5/1=5) so 3/1=3
Anything divided by itself equals 1 (if there are 5 pencils and there are 5 people there is 1 pencil per person 5/5 =1) so 7/7=1
Now the equation is
3%2Ax=24%2A%287%29
--------------------------------------------------------------
step 3: divide by 3 on both sides
%283%2Ax%29%2F3=%2824%2A7%29%2F3
%283%2F3%29%2Ax=%2824%2A7%29%2F3
x=%2824%2A7%29%2F3
--------------------------------------------------------------
step 4: simplify the left by factoring
24 is the same as 2*(12) same as 2*2*(6) same as 2*2*2*3 now we put this in for 24
x=%28%282%2A2%2A2%2A3%29%2A7%29%2F3
x=%28%282%2A2%2A2%2A7%29%2A3%29%2F3
x=%282%2A2%2A2%2A7%29%2A%283%2F3%29
x=%282%2A2%2A2%2A7%29
x=%282%2A2%2A14%29
x=%282%2A28%29
x=%2856%29