Question

How do you solve `5/13 - 2x = -8/13`?

Answer 1

Isolate `x` on one side of the equation.

Explanation:

In order to solve this equation, you have to isolate `x` on one side of the equation.

You can do that by adding `-5/13` to both sides of the equation to get

`color(red)(cancel(color(black)(-5/13))) + color(red)(cancel(color(black)(5/13))) - 2x = -8/13 - 5/13`

`-2x = (-8 - 5)/13 = -color(red)(cancel(color(black)(13)))/(color(red)(cancel(color(black)(13)))`

`-2x = -1`

Finally, divide both sides of the equation by `-2` to get

`(color(red)(cancel(color(black)(-2))) * x)/color(red)(cancel(color(black)(-2))) = (-1)/(-2)`

`x = color(green)(1/2)`

Answer 2

`color(blue)(x=1/2`

Explanation:

`5/13−2x=−8/13`
Here, the L.C.M is `13`

`5/13−((2x)*13)/13=−8/13`

`5/cancel13−(26x)/cancel13=−8/cancel13`

`5 -26x=-8`

`5 + 8 = 26x`

`13 = 26x`

`color(blue)(x=1/2`