Kim's teacher has marked this problem as one to recheck, but Kim cannot determine what she has done incorrectly. Identify Kim's error and write a correct solution.


Six less than 2 times a number is 50. What is the number?
2x – 6 = 50 (line 1)
2x – 6 – 6 = 50 – 6 (line 2)
2x = 44 (line 3)
2x ÷ 2 = 44 ÷ 2 (line 4)
x = 22 (line 5)

2 x - 6 = 50

The error is in line 2.

6 should be added on both sides of the equation, not subtracted.

2 x - 6 + 6 = 50 + 6

2 x = 56

x = 56 / 2

x = 28

Kim's error is in line 2, where she subtracts 6 from both sides of the equation instead of subtracting 6 from the right side only.

To write a correct solution, we need to subtract 6 from both sides of the equation in line 1, not just the left side:

2x - 6 = 50

2x - 6 + 6 = 50 + 6

2x = 56

Then in line 4, we should divide both sides of the equation by 2 to isolate the variable x:

2x ÷ 2 = 56 ÷ 2

x = 28

So, the correct solution is x = 28.