How do you solve #12.5= t - 3.55#?

3 Answers
Mar 3, 2018

#16.05#

Explanation:

#12.5=t-3.55#
#t=12.5+3.55#
#t=16.05#

Mar 3, 2018

You move the 3.55 to the other side.

Explanation:

To get t on its own you need to remove the 3.55. So, you would plus 3.55, but what you do to one side must be done to the other. This means that 3.55 also must be added to 12.5. This would give you 16.05.

Mar 3, 2018

#t=16.05#

Explanation:

This is a linear equation in algebra.

To solve these, whatever operation you do on one side, you must do to the other side the same.

You must get the "#t#" by itself, so that the ending result looks like "#t=#number" where the "number" is the answer.

What may make this slightly harder is that it has decimals.
Imagine 12.5 as 12.50 so that you don't have to worry as much about changing number of decimal places later.

Remember, whatever you do to one side, do to the other, and we want to get "#t#" by itself. To do so, we must get rid of the 3.55 by "moving it to the other side".
#12.50=t-3.55#
#12.50+3.55=(t-3.55)+3.55#
#-3.55+3.55# cancels out to 0 on the left side of the = sign, and just add up the decimals on the right side, so you're left with:
#16.05=t#
or
#t=16.05#

I hope this helped and was understandable!