Steps to Solve a Multi-Step Equation Quick Check
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Question
Jonny is solving this equation for n : 8 + 3n = 20 . His first step is to subtract 8 from both sides of the equation. Why?(1 point)
Responses
He needs to follow the order of operations.
He needs to follow the order of operations.
8 is attached to 3n by subtraction.
8 is attached to 3 n by subtraction.
He needs to reverse the order of operations.
He needs to reverse the order of operations.
8 is the first term in the equation.
"Isolate the variable" isn't a given answer. "8 is attached to 3n by subtraction" is false. The equation is 8 + 3n = 20. As we can see, it is attached by addition, not subtraction.
The correct answer is "He needs to reverse the order of operations."
He needs to isolate the variable n.
The correct answer is "8 is attached to 3n by subtraction."
The correct answer is "8 is attached to 3n by subtraction." To explain why, let's break down the steps to solve the equation 8 + 3n = 20:
Step 1: Subtract 8 from both sides of the equation.
This step is taken to isolate the variable, which in this case is 'n'. By subtracting 8 from both sides of the equation, you are removing the constant term from the left side of the equation, leaving only the variable term (3n) on that side. On the right side of the equation, subtracting 8 from 20 gives you 12.
So, after subtracting 8 from both sides, the equation becomes:
3n = 12
Now, you can continue to solve for 'n' by applying further steps, such as dividing both sides by 3 to isolate 'n'.
In summary, the reason for subtracting 8 from both sides of the equation is to remove the constant term and isolate the variable 'n' on one side of the equation.