SOLUTION: Please help me solve the equation: one half a number increased by 16 is four less than 2/3 of the number

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Question 798458: Please help me solve the equation: one half a number increased by 16 is four less than 2/3 of the number

Answer by KMST(5328) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
x= the number
%281%2F2%29x= one half the number (optional step)
%281%2F2%29x%2B16= one half the number increased by 16 (optional step)
%282%2F3%29x= 2/3 of the number (optional step)
%282%2F3%29x-4= four less than 2/3 of the number (optional step)

The problem says (translates into)
%281%2F2%29x%2B16=%282%2F3%29x-4

We could work with fractions, or eliminate denominators.

Working with fractions:
%281%2F2%29x%2B16=%282%2F3%29x-4
16%2B4=%282%2F3%29x-%281%2F2%29x (Do you need to do this in 2 steps?)
20=%282%2F3-1%2F2%29x
20=%284%2F6-3%2F6%29x (optional step)
20=%281%2F6%29x
6%2A20=6%2A%281%2F6%29x (optional step)
120=1%2Ax (optional step)
highlight%28x=120%29

Eliminating denominators:
From %281%2F2%29x%2B16=%282%2F3%29x-4,
we multiply the expressions on both sides of the equal sign times 6 to get
6%2A%28%281%2F2%29x%2B16%29=6%2A%28%282%2F3%29x-4%29 (optional step)
6%2A%281%2F2%29x%2B6%2A16=6%2A%282%2F3%29x-6%2A4 (optional step)
3x%2B96=4x-24
96%2B24=4x-3x (Do you need to do this in 2 steps?)
120=%284-3%29x (optional step)
120=1%2Ax (optional step)
highlight%28x=120%29

(Number of steps will vary with teacher and student preference).