how do i solve 3x over 5 - x = x over 10 - 5 over 2

Question

anonymous · Answer

the minus x is not under the 3x over 5

precal · Answer

type it in using the equation editor

anonymous · Answer

idk how to do that...
it's just 3x/5   then - x = x/10 - 5/2

anonymous · Answer

$$\frac{3x}{5} - x = \frac{x}{10} - \frac{5}{2}$$???

anonymous · Answer

yes like that !

anonymous · Answer

OK, so:

3x/5 - x = x/10 - 5/2

let's just multiply both sides by 10:

6x - 10x = x - 25

Then combine like terms:

-4x = x - 25
-5x = -25
x = 5

anonymous · Answer

okay thank you ! can i just ask , that , for problems like this , you multiply by the least common denominator , right ? or ?

anonymous · Answer

Sure. That's just to make the math easier to do, though. You could also just solve it directly:

3x/5 - x = x/10 - 5/2
(3/5)x - (5/5)x = x/10 - 5/2
-(2/5)x = x/10 - 5/2
-(4/10)x = (1/10)x - 5/2
-(5/10)x = -5/2
-x/2 = -5/2
x = 5

anonymous · Answer

okay thanks !