Two less than one-sixth of a certain number is 1 more than one-fourth that number. What is the number?

Question

anonymous · Answer

$$(1/6)x -2 = (1/4)x+1$$
Times both sides by 24 to eliminate fractions:
$$4x-48=6x+24$$
Solve:
$$-72=2x$$
$$x=-36$$

anonymous · Answer

Plugging back into original formula you get -8 on both sides.

anonymous · Answer

(1/6)x-2=1+(1/4)x
2x-24=12+3x (here I multiplied by 12 to get rid of fractions)
so then you isolate x on one side and get -24=12+x
then just solve for x x=-36
1/6 of -36 is -6. -6-2 =-8
1/4 of -36 is -9. -9+1 =-8