Question

What is the solution of the equation shown?
-4w+5/3=-13

Answer 1

Is that
\[\frac{-4w+5}{3} = -13\]or\[-4w+\frac{5}{3} = -13\]?

Please use the equation editor or parentheses so we don't have to ask.

Answer 2

The first one

Answer 3

Sorry

Answer 4

Remember, the order of operations would suggest the second one, that's why you need the parentheses!

Okay, what happens after you multiply both sides of the equation by 3?

Answer 5

You can do just about anything, so long as you do it to both sides.

Answer 6

The equation would then be -4w+5=-39. Then you subtract 5 from each side, right

Answer 7

That would be good.

Answer 8

I personally would add 4w to both sides and add 39 to both sides, giving me 39+5 = 4w

Answer 9

From there it would be -4w=-44 which w= 11

Answer 10

I find I'm more likely to make a mistake manipulating lots of negative numbers, so if it is easy to make everything positive, I do so.

Answer 11

and we both get the same answer, of course.

Checking the work is important:
\[\frac{-4(11)+5}{3} = -13\]\[-44+5 = -13*3\]\[-39=-39\checkmark\]

Answer 12

Thanks being a homeschool mom is hard with a smart kid.

Answer 13

Probably isn't a picnic for the kid either :-)

Answer 14

Oh she's fine with it.

Answer 15

How old is your daughter?

Answer 16

I'm not home-schooling my 9-year-old son, but we spend a lot of time doing math together.

Answer 17

11

Answer 18

She is in The Gifted program

Answer 19

Here's a little puzzle for her (my son, much to my surprise, did it in his head in a few minutes!): consider all of the possible 3 digit numbers. List all of the numbers such that the sum of the digits * 11 gives you the number.

Answer 20

She got it right I am just the one who has to check it

Answer 21

If you get stumped on something, feel free to send me a message.

Answer 22

Do you want to exchange emails