Fran solved the equation 42 = x + 23
. Although her final answer was correct, she could have found it in a simpler way. Which sentence best explains why?
The equation could have been simplified by subtracting 23 from both sides first.
The sentence "She could have found it in a simpler way because there was no need to subtract 23 from both sides of the equation." best explains why Fran could have found the solution to the equation 42 = x + 23 in a simpler way.
The equation given is 42 = x + 23. To solve for x, we need to isolate it on one side of the equation.
One way to do this is by subtracting 23 from both sides of the equation. This gives us:
42 - 23 = x + 23 - 23
The right side simplifies to x, and the left side simplifies to:
19 = x
Therefore, the value of x is 19.
Now, let's consider the question at hand. It states that Fran's final answer was correct, but there could have been a simpler way to find it. To determine the reason behind this, we need to understand that the equation 42 = x + 23 represents the relationship that 42 is equal to the sum of a certain number x and 23.
Alternatively, we can simplify the equation by immediately subtracting 23 from both sides without setting up the equation as Fran did. This gives us:
42 - 23 = x
Simplifying further, we have:
19 = x
Thus, the value of x is still 19.
The reason this approach is simpler is that it eliminates the need to set up the equation explicitly before solving for x. Instead, we directly subtract 23 from 42 to get the value of x. This approach saves time and uses fewer steps, making it the simpler way to find the answer.