Solve and describe the steps you took to solve:
12+3(m+1)=-2+4(m+6)

Question

Solve and describe the steps you took to solve:
12+3(m+1)=-2+4(m+6)

mathstudent55 · Answer

@22Megan22 
Do you know the distributive property?

anonymous · Answer

use the distributive property then its a two step equation

rina.r · Answer

12+3m+3=-2+4m+24
collect the like terms
12+2+3-24=+4m-3m
17-24        = 1m
  -7             =1m
   m=7/1
     =7

mathstudent55 · Answer

@Rina.r 
You're almost correct.

This line is correct:
-7             =1m

   m=-7/1
        ^ you forgot the 7 was negative

     =-7

The answer is m = -7.

anonymous · Answer

Hmm, ok

rina.r · Answer

yeah, same mistake i make in exams:(

mathstudent55 · Answer

Ther's a way of catching these mistakes. Take the solution and plug it into the original equation. If it works it's correct.

For m = 7, you get:

12+3(7+1)=-2+4(7+6)
12 + 3*8 = -2 + 4*13
12 + 24 = -2 + 52
36 = 50 which is false, so m = 7 is not correct.

For m = -7, we get:

12+3(-7+1)=-2+4(-7+6)
12 + 3*(-6) = -2 + 4*(-1)
12 - 18 = -2 + (-4)
-6 = -6 which is true, so m = -7 is correct.

rina.r · Answer

Thanks