So, I was trying to help somebody today and I forgot how to solve this:

((3x - 4) / 10) - (( x - 3) / 5) = (7/2)

Will the SEN Team be able to defeat this problem for me ?

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Jun 1 2010, 8:57 pm by Shocko.

lol that's it?

3x - 4 - (x - 3) = 7; set up the equation
3x - 4 - x + 3 = 7; distribute the negative one
3x - x + 3 - 4 = 7; associative property of addition
2x - 1 = 7; simplify
2x = 8; add one to both sides
x = 4; divide by 2 on both sides

Does I get cookie?

((3x - 4) / 10) - (( x - 3) / 5) = (7/2)

(3x - 4 - 2x + 6) / 10 = (7/2)

(x + 2) / 10 = (7/2)

x + 2 = 35

x = 33

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Jun 1 2010, 8:54 pm by ClansAreForGays. Reason: added orginal equation

Is this all you've been given or does the assignment actually specify what you have to do? >_<
Just realized that the underscores are division signs after reading CAFG's post. If that's the case, Look at CAFG's post.

I believe he just fails at showing us division.

I wanted to set it out as close to the original as possible, I could have done the '((3x - 4) / 10) - (( x - 3) / 5) = (7/2)' but didn't want to change it, but once I realised it's actually clearer to read, I used yours. Could you explain the steps CAFG?

Yea, to explain a bit more: you bring the two fractions on the left hand side to a common denominator to add/subtract them and then deal with an equation of the form a/b = c/d like you normally would. Reducing simple equations with fractions to that form is the way to go in most cases.

I tried that but I wasn't sure what rules applied.

I figured you'd * 2 to have a common denominator but why does it not affect the other side? My friend needs to understand for her GCSE exams

wait, sorry the equation is

((3x - 4) / 10) + (( x - 3) / 5) = (7/2)
not
((3x - 4) / 10) - (( x - 3) / 5) = (7/2)

Oh shit that was a division bar?

The answer is 33, and I showed more proof if you need it:



EDIT: Picture now with the right equation.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Jun 1 2010, 9:13 pm by Sacrieur.

As I said, it's + ((x - 3) / 5) rather than - ((x - 3) / 5)

Edited post with the right equation.

x=9

too lazy to type up the work

You guys are good people -- sometimes

You can multiply the numerator and the denominator of any individual fraction by any number (except 0) at any time. So you can transform 1/2 into 2/4 or 6/12 this way. Same thing was done to the (( x - 3) / 5) fraction: it was transformed into ((2x - 6)/10).

another question here:

Prove that:
((x - 3) / x) - ((x - 2) / (x+2)) = ((x + 6) / (x (x +2)))

I keep getting x-6 = x+6 are you sure you typed it right?

I forgot to mention that the equal sign is the one with three lines -- apparently that means 'The same as'

The general idea is to multiply the first fraction through by (x+2) and the second fraction by (x) and then add them up.

Shocky, you're hopeless. >_<

Blame my parents, I wanted to do academic math but they said 'They may use different terms than we did in England, you should do foundations' and so I was put in the dumb course even though I was actually really good at math when I left england