<< Chapter < Page Chapter >> Page >

x + 1 = 10

conditional, x = 9

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

y 4 = 7

conditional, y = 11

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

5 a = 25

conditional, a = 5

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

x 4 = 9

conditional, x = 36

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

18 b = 6

conditional, b = 3

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

y 2 = y 2

identity

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

x + 4 = x 3

contradiction

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

x + x + x = 3 x

identity

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

8 x = 0

conditional, x = 0

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

m 7 = 5

conditional, m = 2

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Literal equations

Literal equations

Some equations involve more than one variable. Such equations are called literal equations .

An equation is solved for a particular variable if that variable alone equals an expression that does not contain that particular variable.

    The following equations are examples of literal equations.

  1. y = 2 x + 7 . It is solved for y .
  2. d = r t . It is solved for d .
  3. I = p r t . It is solved for I .
  4. z = x u s . It is solved for z .
  5. y + 1 = x + 4 . This equation is not solved for any particular variable since no variable is isolated.

Solving equation of the form x + a = b and x a = b

Recall that the equal sign of an equation indicates that the number represented by the expression on the left side is the same as the number represented by the expression on the right side.

This is the this number same as number x = 6 x + 2 = 8 x 1 = 5

    This suggests the following procedures:

  1. We can obtain an equivalent equation (an equation having the same solutions as the original equation) by adding the same number to both sides of the equation.
  2. We can obtain an equivalent equation by subtracting the same number from both sides of the equation.

We can use these results to isolate x , thus solving for x .

Solving x + a = b For x

x + a = b The a is associated with x by addition . Undo the association x + a a = b a by subtracting a from b o t h sides . x + 0 = b a a a = 0 and 0 is the additive identity . x + 0 = x . x = b a This equation is equivalent to the first equation, and it is solved for x .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solving x a = b For x

x a = b The a is associated with x by subtraction . Undo the association x a + a = b + a by adding a to b o t h sides . x + 0 = b + a a + a = 0 and 0 is the additive identity . x + 0 = x . x = b + a This equation is equivalent to the first equation, and it is solved for x .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Method for solving x + a = b And x a = b For x

To solve the equation x + a = b for x , subtract a from both sides of the equation.
To solve the equation x a = b for x , add a to both sides of the equation.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Sample set b

Solve x + 7 = 10 for x .

x + 7 = 10 7 is associated with x by addition . Undo the association x + 7 7 = 10 7 by subtracting 7 from b o t h sides . x + 0 = 3 7 7 = 0 and 0 is the additive identity . x + 0 = x . x = 3 x is isolated, and the equation x = 3 is equivalent to the original equation x + 7 = 10. Therefore, these two equation have the same solution . The solution to x = 3 is clearly 3. Thus, the solution to x + 7 = 10 is also 3.

Check : Substitute 3 for x in the original equation. x + 7 = 10 3 + 7 = 10 Is this correct? 10 = 10 Yes, this is correct .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve m 2 = 9 for m .

m 2 = 9 2 is associated with m by subtraction . Undo the association m 2 + 2 = 9 + 2 by adding 2 from b o t h sides . m + 0 = 7 2 + 2 = 0 and 0 is the additive identity . m + 0 = m . m = 7

Check : Substitute 7 for m in the original equation. m 2 = 9 7 2 = 9 Is this correct? 9 = 9 Yes, this is correct .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Use a calculator to solve this equation. Solve y 2.181 = 16.915 for y .

y 2.181 = 16.915 y 2.181 + 2.181 = 16.915 + 2.181 y = 14.734

On the Calculator
Type 16.915 Press + / Press + Type 2.181 Press = Display reads: 14.734

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve y + m = s for y .

y + m = s m is associated with y by addition . Undo the association y + m m = s m by subtracting m from b o t h sides . y + 0 = s m m m = 0 and 0 is the additive identity . y + 0 = y . y = s m

Check : Substitute s m for y in the original equation. y + m = s s m + m = s Is this correct? s = s True Yes, this is correct .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve k 3 h = 8 h + 5 for k .

k 3 h = 8 h + 5 3 h is associated with k by subtraction . Undo the association k 3 h + 3 h = 8 h + 5 + 3 h by adding 3 h to b o t h sides . k + 0 = 5 h + 5 3 h + 3 h = 0 and 0 is the additive identity . k + 0 = k . k = 5 h + 5

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Practice set b

Solve y 3 = 8 for y .

y = 11

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve x + 9 = 4 for x .

x = 13

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve m + 6 = 0 for m .

m = 6

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve g 7.2 = 1.3 for g .

g = 8.5

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

solve f + 2 d = 5 d for f .

f = 3 d

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve x + 8 y = 2 y 1 for x .

x = 6 y 1

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve y + 4 x 1 = 5 x + 8 for y .

y = x + 9

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Exercises

For the following problems, classify each of the equations as an identity, contradiction, or conditional equation.

g + g + g + g = 4 g

identity

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

For the following problems, determine which of the literal equations have been solved for a variable. Write "solved" or "not solved."

4 a = y 6

not solved

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

For the following problems, solve each of the conditional equations.

y + 6 = 11

y = 17

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

g + 164 = 123

g = 287

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

x + 17 = 426

x = 443

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

y + 17.003 = 1.056

y = 18.059

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve n + m = 4 for n .

n = 4 m

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve P + 3 Q 8 = 0 for P .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve a + b 3 c = d 2 f for b .

b = a + 3 c + d 2 f

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve x 3 y + 5 z + 1 = 2 y 7 z + 8 for x .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve 4 a 2 b + c + 11 = 6 a 5 b for c .

c = 2 a 3 b 11

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Exercises for review

( [link] ) Simplify ( 4 x 5 y 2 ) 3 .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

( [link] ) Write 20 x 3 y 7 5 x 5 y 3 so that only positive exponents appear.

4 y 4 x 2

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

( [link] ) Write the number of terms that appear in the expression 5 x 2 + 2 x 6 + ( a + b ) , and then list them.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

( [link] ) Find the product. ( 3 x 1 ) 2 .

9 x 2 6 x + 1

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

( [link] ) Specify the domain of the equation y = 5 x 2 .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Questions & Answers

summarize halerambos & holbon
David Reply
the Three stages of Auguste Comte
Clementina Reply
what are agents of socialization
Antonio Reply
sociology of education
Nuhu Reply
definition of sociology of education
Nuhu
what is culture
Abdulrahim Reply
shared beliefs, values, and practices
AI-Robot
What are the two type of scientific method
ogunniran Reply
I'm willing to join you
Aceng Reply
what are the scientific method of sociology
Man
what is socialization
ogunniran Reply
the process wherein people come to understand societal norms and expectations, to accept society's beliefs, and to be aware of societal values
AI-Robot
scientific method in doing research
ogunniran
defimition of sickness in afica
Anita
Cosmology
ogunniran
Hmmm
ogunniran
list and explain the terms that found in society
REMMY Reply
list and explain the terms that found in society
Mukhtar
what are the agents of socialization
Antonio
Family Peer group Institution
Abdulwajud
I mean the definition
Antonio
ways of perceived deviance indifferent society
Naomi Reply
reasons of joining groups
SAM
to bring development to the nation at large
Hyellafiya
entails of consultative and consensus building from others
Gadama
World first Sociologist?
Abu
What is evolutionary model
Muhammad Reply
Evolution models refer to mathematical and computational representations of the processes involved in biological evolution. These models aim to simulate and understand how species change over time through mechanisms such as natural selection, genetic drift, and mutation. Evolutionary models can be u
faruk
what are the modern trends in religious behaviours
Selekeye Reply
what are social norms
Daniel Reply
shared standards of acceptable behavior by the group or appropriate behavior in a particular institution or those behaviors that are acceptable in a society
Lucius
that is how i understood it
Lucius
examples of societal norms
Diamond
Discuss the characteristics of the research located within positivist and the interpretivist paradigm
Tariro Reply
what is Industrialisation
Selekeye Reply
industrialization
Angelo
Got questions? Join the online conversation and get instant answers!
Jobilize.com Reply

Get Jobilize Job Search Mobile App in your pocket Now!

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store Now




Source:  OpenStax, Elementary algebra. OpenStax CNX. May 08, 2009 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col10614/1.3
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

Notification Switch

Would you like to follow the 'Elementary algebra' conversation and receive update notifications?

Ask