Question

Solve for x.

x/2 = -5



x = 5/2
x = -5/2
x = -10

Answer 1

what separates us from the desired form
x=....

?

Answer 2

I don't know

Answer 3

do you know what it means when they say

"solve for x"

Answer 4

yes. find what goes there

Answer 5

so they want an equation that looks like this:

x = ....whatever....

Answer 6

yea..

Answer 7

ok

so whats wrong with the equation we are given?

Answer 8

we don't know what x represents?

Answer 9

not exactly. we know this though

x/2 = -5

Answer 10

that's some weird form of an
x=
equation

Answer 11

so what is wrong with it ?

Answer 12

I don't know.

Answer 13

you are right that we don't know what x represents.
we only know what x/2 (a half of x) represents.

and nobody is interested in this.

Answer 14

we can easily find what x represents though. because if we are given half x, then whole x will just be two times what we have

Answer 15

so we are bothered by the fraction that has x captured.

x/2 =
we don't want /2 on the left side.
we want only x=

Answer 16

right ?

Answer 17

yes

Answer 18

if we do the same operation to the left hand side
and to the right hand side

the "balance" of the equation is still the same.

Answer 19

example: x = 3

2x = 6 <this is the same relation or balance

Answer 20

so because of the balance property of equations, you are always allowed
to multiply or divide left hand side and right hand side:

it will not change the information the equation carries.

Answer 21

which one do I do? times or divide?

Answer 22

x/2 = -5

Answer 23

which one should we do ?

Answer 24

ok,
do you know how variables work ?

Answer 25

what is 2 * 2 x

Answer 26

whattt???

Answer 27

:)

variables

Answer 28

do you know what is 2*2 =

Answer 29

4?

Answer 30

yes. * is multiplication. alright

Answer 31

so variables are just like a number. the only difference is that they also have the name of the variable.

Answer 32

and that variable letter never goes away.

Answer 33

2a + 1 a =

Answer 34

3a? I don't even know.

Answer 35

Yes! 3a

Answer 36

you do what you would always do. and "keep" the letter

Answer 37

this one is more difficult:

3a + 2 =

Answer 38

5a?

Answer 39

yeah, one would think that :)
its why I asked

in reality, it is just =3a+2

the 2 is not an a. you can not make addition between
a variable and a number.

Answer 40

2a + 9 + 1a =

Answer 41

Solve for x.

= -5



x = 5/2
x = -5/2
x = -10?

Answer 42

2a + 9 + 1a =

Answer 43

12

Answer 44

no: you CAN NOT add variables and numbers

Answer 45

try again

2a + 9 + 1a =

Answer 46

2a?

Answer 47

I don't knowww

Answer 48

and what about the rest

Answer 49

2a + 9 + 1a =

we can add a terms with each other:
2a+1a=3a

we can not add numbers with variables
9

2a + 9 + 1a = 3a +9

Answer 50

anyway this will get important in a different question.

for now, answer me: what is 2*3x

Answer 51

6x

Answer 52

YES

Answer 53

hey

what is 7* 1/2

Answer 54

\[7\times\frac{ 1 }{ 2 }\]

Answer 55

you will get really good in algebra

Answer 56

what is it

Answer 57

GOOD

Answer 58

so in a similar way:

\[x \times \frac{ 1 }{ 2 } = \frac{ x }{ 2 }\]

Answer 59

x/2

Answer 60

please I need helpSolve for x.

= -5



x = 5/2
x = -5/2
x = -10

Answer 61

how can you cancel this fraction? how can you get rid of it?

\[\frac{ 1 }{ 2 } \times x\]

Answer 62

solve for x

\[\frac{ 1 }{ 2 } \times x = -5\]
how can we cancel the 1/2 fraction ?

Answer 63

i dont know

Answer 64

x/2Solve for x.

= -5



x = 5/2
x = -5/2
x = -10

Answer 65

Okay

watch:

\[\frac{ 1 }{ 2 } \times 7\]--------------------------\[2 \times \frac{ 1 }{ 2 } \times 7\]---------------------------
\[7\]