trying to work equation problems and my answer is different from answer in textbook.
12/x = -3 and 24=120/x
1. 12/x(12)= -3(12), x= -36
textbook has -4
2. 24(120)= 120/x(120), x = 2880
textbook has 5
What am I doing wrong???
I will assume that #1 is
12/x = -3
multiply both sides by x
--> 12 = -3x
divide both sides by -3
-4 = x
or
by the "just look at it theorem" ...
What must 12 be divided by to get an answer of -3 ??
#2
24 = 120/x
do the same thing as in #1
24x = 120
x = 120/24 = 5
When solving equations, it's important to follow the correct steps to ensure accurate answers. Let's examine each of the equations you provided and identify the mistakes.
1. 12/x = -3:
To solve for x, you need to isolate it on one side of the equation. You correctly multiplied both sides of the equation by 12 to eliminate the fraction:
12/x * 12 = -3 * 12
This simplifies to:
144/x = -36
However, the mistake occurred when solving for x. Instead of multiplying both sides by 12, you should have divided both sides by -3 to isolate x:
144/x = -36
(144/x) / (-3) = -36 / (-3)
48/x = 12
Now, to solve for x, we need to isolate it by multiplying both sides of the equation by x:
(48/x) * x = 12 * x
48 = 12x
Finally, divide both sides by 12 to solve for x:
48/12 = x
4 = x
Therefore, the correct solution is x = 4, not x = -36.
2. 24 = 120/x:
Similarly, you need to isolate x on one side of the equation. You correctly multiplied both sides by 120 to eliminate the fraction:
24 * 120 = (120/x) * 120
2880 = 120/x
Now, to solve for x, divide both sides by 120:
2880 / 120 = (120/x) / 120
24 = 1/x
To get rid of the fraction, take the reciprocal of both sides:
1/24 = x/1
x = 1/24
Therefore, the correct solution is x = 1/24, not x = 2880.
By following these steps, you should be able to arrive at the correct solutions for your equations. Remember to double-check your work and be careful with the algebraic operations.