Question

5/x+2=x/3

Answer 1

First, let me ask real quickly is this supposed to be
\[\frac{5}{x+2}\]
or
\[\frac{5}{x}+2\]

Answer 2

The first one.

Answer 3

Ah, well then in the future you should type that at 5/(x+2) so people know :)
So, the first thing we should do whenever an equation has x in the denominator is see if we can do something to get x out of the denominator. So look at the equation and see if you can tell me what we would do to get x out of the denominator.

Answer 4

Multiply it??! I DON"T KNOW?

Answer 5

Multiplying is always a good way to get something out of the denominator. Good idea. So what are we going to multiply both sides by?

Answer 6

x?

Answer 7

Because that would make the equation x(5/x+2)=3

Answer 8

But that would give you negative 1 and that's not right.

Answer 9

Actually that would make the equation\[\frac{5x}{x+2} = \frac{x^2}{3}\]
Multiplying by x didn't get rid of either denominator.

Answer 10

But if you multiply the x by it's self since it's division, you get x, so that would cancel them out.

Answer 11

I'm skipping this problem it's too hard.

Answer 12

Nope. You only cancel out if you multiply and divide by the same thing.
On the right side you're dividing by 3 and multiplying by x. That doesn't cancel out.

Answer 13

Don't be a baby. Stick with it.

Answer 14

Excuse me?!

Answer 15

Doing the hard problems makes you better at math =) Let's finish this.

Answer 16

Don't get good at giving up.