Question

How do you solve the equation x/4+5/12=3x/4-1/6

Answer 1

Take notice that each term in this equation is a fraction. Right that sucks! So we need to get rid of the fractions. It will make it a lot easier. The easiest way to do that is to multiply by a number that all of our denominators divide into. Called our least common denominator. So we have the numbers 4 , 12, 4 and 6. The smallest number that all of those numbers divide into is 12. So what I do is multiply all of my terms by 12. Now when multiplying a whole number by a fraction remember to put a one under your whole number and multiply across so for 12 times x/4 I will have 12*x/1*4 which leaves me 12x/4 which I can now divide the numbers to obtain 3x. Doing this for the rest of the problem I will obtain 3x + 5 = 9x - 2. I then need to use my steps for solving two step equations. Get the variable onto the same side and then use inverse operations to isoloate the variable. I show these steps in my videos located on my youtube channel http://www.youtube.com/mrbrianmclogan you can search for these types of problems and I work you through them step by step. Let me know if it helps