solve: -5/3x=-4/3

Question

solve: -5/3x=-4/3

hero · Answer

Have you already cross multiplied yet?

anonymous · Answer

yeah

anonymous · Answer

its fro summer math packet so i just need to answer the question

hero · Answer

Furthermore, the real first step before that would be multiplying both sides by -1 to get rid of the negatives. 

If you did that, you would have 5/3x = 4/3, that way after cross multiplying you won't have to deal with any negatives. Oh and by the way....

hero · Answer

This one is a tricky one since since the denominators are already the same.

anonymous · Answer

thank uuu, what ydo i do nmext?

hero · Answer

Well, there are a couple of things you can do. Let me show you.

hero · Answer

As you know, when the denominators of fractions are the same, you can combine them. In this case, if we begin with 5/3x = 4/3, we can subtract the 4/3 from both sides to get

$$\frac{5x}{3} - \frac{4}{3} =0$$

then combine that to get:

$$\frac{5x -4}{3} =0$$

hero · Answer

Afterwards, you can simply multiply both sides by 3 to get

5x - 4 = 0

Then you can finish solving for x.

hero · Answer

Alternatively, if you still want to cross multiply, here's what you do:

hero · Answer

Go ahead and cross multiply 5/3x=4/3

After cross multiplication you would get:

3(5x) = 3(4)

hero · Answer

Afterwards, divide both sides by 3

hero · Answer

That way you end up with

5x = 4

hero · Answer

Then you can continue solving for x. You'll find that both methods produce the same result for x.