How do you solve #2x+3=3x-4#?

1 Answer
Jul 19, 2016

With practice you can do these quicker as you learn the shortcut.

#x=7#

Explanation:

Objective is to have a single #x# on one side of the = and everything else on the other side.

Given:#" "color(green)(2x+3=3x-4)#

'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

#color(blue)("Step 1 ")color(brown)("Having all the "x" terms on one side of =")#

Subtract #color(red)(2x)# from both sides

#color(green)(2xcolor(red)(-2x)+3=3xcolor(red)(-2x)-4)#

#0+3=x-4#

Swap round

#x-4=3#
'~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
#color(blue)("Step 2 ")color(brown)("Have just "x" on the left of =")#

Add #color(red)(4)# to both sides

#color(green)(x-4color(red)(+4)=3color(red)(+4))#

#x=7#