what is the first step in solving this equation 1/3x = -9
multiply each side by 1/3
divide each side by 3
divide each side by 1/3
multiply each side by -9
The correct first step in solving the equation 1/3x = -9 is to multiply each side by 3.
The first step in solving the equation 1/3x = -9 is to multiply each side of the equation by 3.
The first step in solving the equation 1/3x = -9 is to multiply each side by 3.
To explain how to do this, we need to isolate the variable x which is multiplied by 1/3 on the left side of the equation. To remove the 1/3, we multiply each side by its reciprocal, which is 3, so that the 1/3 will cancel out on the left side.
Here's the step-by-step process:
1/3x = -9
Multiply both sides by 3:
(1/3x) * 3 = (-9) * 3
Cancel out the 3 and 1/3 on the left side:
1x = -27
Simplify:
x = -27
So the solution to the equation 1/3x = -9 is x = -27.