Question

1/3x = 12 solve for x

Answer 1

you want to isolate x
but oh no x is being multiplied by 1/3
to undo that multiplication you can divide both sides by 1/3

Answer 2

Do you mean
\(\dfrac{1}{3} x = 12\) ?

Answer 3

yes @mathstudent55

Answer 4

can u solve from there?

Answer 5

36

Answer 6

can't i just add 2/3 to both sides?

Answer 7

Ok.
Since x is being multiplied by 1/3 and you want x alone, multiply both sides by the reciprocal of 1/3, which is 3.

Answer 8

great :D

Answer 9

No. Adding 2/3 will not help.

Answer 10

1/3 is multiplied so u gotta multiply it by the reciprocal

Answer 11

\(\dfrac{1}{3} x = 12\)

Add 2/3 to both sides:

\(\dfrac{1}{3} x + \dfrac{2}{3} = 12 + \dfrac{2}{3}\)

\(\dfrac{1}{3} x + \dfrac{2}{3} = 12 \dfrac{2}{3}\)

Since 1/3 x and 2/3 are not like terms, they can't be combined together, so you have just complicated the equation instead of solving it.

Answer 12

hmm, i'm thinking

Answer 13

where did u get 2/3 from @mindblast3r

Answer 14

The way to solve an equation is to do the opposite operation of what is being done to x.
The opposite of multiplying by 1/3 is divide by 1/3, but dividing by 1/3 is the same as multiplying by 3.

Answer 15

I assume the idea was to do 1/3 + 2/3 = 1

Answer 16

yes lol @mathstudent55

Answer 17

well i know adding 2/3 was wrong but, my main intentions of the question was to find out why it's wrong, i just didn't know how to phrase the question.

Answer 18

I hope you understand it now.

Answer 19

The way to solve an equation is to do the opposite operation of what is being done to x. is this like an official rule?

Answer 20

No, I never heard of it as an officvial rule, but that's how we solve equations.

Answer 21

who is "we", humans?

Answer 22

Yes, "we" are people.
Here is something for youto think about.
Take an equation such as 2x + 5 = 15

Answer 23

i'll let @mathstudent55 help u :D

Answer 24

You want x alone, but there is a 5 being added and a 2 being multiplied.

Answer 25

thank you veryyyyyyyyyyyyyy much guys i <3 all of you

Answer 26

How do you figure out which exact operations to do to get rid of the plus 5 and the times 2?

Answer 27

Think of just the left side, 2x + 5.
If you were asked to evaluate the left side for a number, such as x = 10, what would you do?

Answer 28

1. subtract 5 from both sides
2. divide both sides by 2
3. x = 5

Answer 29

First, you replace x with 10.
2x + 5
2(10) + 5
Now you do the multipluication first, 2 * 10
20 + 5
Finally youi do the aqddition, 20 + 5
25

Answer 30

You are correct.

Answer 31

Now look at what I did to evaluate the left side.
1) I first multiplied by 2
2) then I added 5

Answer 32

To solve the equation, you do the opposite operation in the opposite order.

To Evaluate: To Solve:
multiply by 2 subtract 5
add 5 divide by 2

Answer 33

okay i understand now. thank you :D