Q&A for How to Solve a Simple Linear Equation

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How do I answer (1 - 0.9)(1 - 0.2)?

Donagan

Top Answerer

That's (0.1)(0.8) = 0.08.

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How do you solve a question like, x-5=7?

Community Answer

In this example, move the 5 to the other side and change your action symbol, like this: x=7+5. Now, you can solve for x. To be sure you've done it correctly, put in your value for x in the original equation and solve.

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Question

How do I solve it if there are two variables?

Donagan

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You need two separate equations in those two variables.

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How do I solve -2 + (x-1)(x+2) = x(x-3) + 4(x-1)?

Donagan

Top Answerer

That equation has no solution, because it can be simplified to 4 = 4. That means the equation is true for all values of x, making it a "trivial" (useless) equation.

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How would I solve x + 7?

Donagan

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Because that's not an equation, it can't be solved.

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How do I solve (2x + 1)(x - 2) - x(2x - 1) = 0?

Donagan

Top Answerer

First perform the multiplication: (2x + 1)(x - 2) = 2x² - 4x + x - 2 = 2x² - 3x - 2 and (-x)(2x - 1) = -2x² + x. Then combine the two products and set the sum equal to zero: (2x² - 3x - 2) + (-2x² + x) = -2x - 2 = 0. Then -2x = 2, and x = -1.

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How would I solve 3x + 2 = 10 - 4(x - 1)?

Donagan

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3x + 2 = 10 - 4x + 4 = 14 - 4x. Add 4x to both sides: 7x + 2 = 14. Subtract 2 from both sides: 7x = 12. x = 12/7.

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How do I solve 5 to the power of 3 - 4 to the power of 2?

Donagan

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5³ - 4² = 125 - 16 = 109.

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How do you solve this equation: 5x + 7y = 18?

Community Answer

When you have one equation expressed in terms of two variables, all you can do is solve for one variable in terms of the other. In this case we can solve for x in terms of y, or y in terms of x. Let's do the former: first subtract 7y from both sides of the equation: 5x = 18 - 7y. Then divide both sides by 5: x = (18 - 7y) / 5. (In order to find numerical values for x and y, we would need a second independent equation also expressed in terms of x and y.)

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