Question

2-5m=13
steps again...

Answer 1

Subtract 2 from both sides first.

Answer 2

What did you get?

Answer 3

11

Answer 4

Now divide both sides by -5

Answer 5

What did you get?

Answer 6

but that comes out to 2.2... and it needs to come out as a whole number..

Answer 7

That would be - 2.2 and it cannot come out as a whole number unless you copied the problem wrong.

Answer 8

okay.. the real question is.. 13=5m-2
i didnt think it would natter if you flopped it around..

Answer 9

You didn't "flop it around". You changed 5m-2 to its opposite. That's like saying, ok, I'll just change this 10 to -10

Answer 10

it still comes out 2.2...

Answer 11

Add 2 to both sides.

Answer 12

\[13+2=5m-2+2\]

Answer 13

\[15=5m\]

Answer 14

Divide both sides by 5

Answer 15

and the answers 3?

Answer 16

\[\frac{15}{5}=\frac{5m}{5}\]

Answer 17

yep

Answer 18

okay tell me if i get this right to this next question..
-15=2t-11

Answer 19

so would you add 15 to both sides?

Answer 20

ok

Answer 21

Remember you are trying to get the variable by itself. The variable has been multiplied by 2 and then had 11 subtracted from it. How would you "undo" those things so that the variable can be by itself?

Answer 22

so.. then would you do -2t then? so then you could get rid of it?

Answer 23

You "undo" the stuff in reverse order. The variable was multiplied by 2 and 11 was subtracted.
To undo that add 11 and then divide by 2

Answer 24

oh.. i see that now. sorry.. this is really frustrating..

Answer 25

Well I know it is but if you keep at it, all of a sudden the light will come on.

Answer 26

yeah, after i figure out what to either use to "undo" then i got the rest of the problem.. its just i never know what number to either subtract from or add..
you know what i mean?

Answer 27

I do know what you mean. Just always focus on getting the variable by itself by "undoing" the stuff. What did you get for this problem?

Answer 28

i got, t=-2

Answer 29

that was very good. Do you have another one?

Answer 30

yes i do,
7k-5=-19

Answer 31

Ok.
What do you think comes first?

Answer 32

and this is the part i mean i have troubles with.. like i never know if you would add -5bor -19..

Answer 33

What is the variable?

Answer 34

I don't mean the solution. I just want you to identify the variable. Is it x or y or ...what is it?

Answer 35

the variable is k

Answer 36

Yes. Good. Now look at it. Is it multiplied or divided by something?

Answer 37

7

Answer 38

Exactly. So at some point we're going to have to reverse that by dividing by 7.

Answer 39

But first, was anything added or subtracted to or from the k?

Answer 40

yeah because the problem is 7k-5

Answer 41

Yes you are correct but I want you to tell me specifically what the number is and whether it was added or subtracted.