Another problem that I am disagreeing with the answer key -
I am once again solving for b
-9 = -24/7 + b
I add -24/7 to both sides to get -9 + 24/7 = b
When I make 7 my denominator for both I get -63/7 + 24/7 = b
My final answer is -39/7 = b
The answer book says it's positive 39/7.
Have I done something wrong?
Step 1: Simplify both sides of the equation.
Step 2: Flip the equation.
Step 3: Add 24/7 to both sides.
Final answer is 39/7
I did add 24/7 to both sides, but the -9 on the left side becomes -63/7 which is larger than the 24/7 ---
-63 - 24 is still -39????
Okay so -24/7 + 24/7 = -9 + 24/7
b= -39/7
Yes, I agree but Jackson said it would be positive and the answer book says positive. I just don’t see how???
Let's go through your steps and see if there are any errors or misunderstandings in your solution.
You started with the equation: -9 = -24/7 + b. To solve for b, you correctly added -24/7 to both sides of the equation. So far, so good.
You wrote: -9 + 24/7 = b. This step is correct. You found a common denominator of 7, added the two fractions, and got -63/7 + 24/7 = b.
Now, let's simplify the expression -63/7 + 24/7. When you add fractions, you only add the numerators if the denominators are the same. In this case, the denominators are both 7, so you simply add the numerators: -63 + 24 = -39. The denominator remains 7.
Therefore, the correct result is -39/7, not -39/7 as you wrote in your solution. The answer book, which says b = 39/7, is indeed correct.
To avoid making this mistake in the future, always double-check your arithmetic when adding or subtracting fractions. And remember to maintain the correct sign when adding or subtracting negative numbers.
I hope this clears up any confusion!