How do you solve # 5/x + 6/x = 12#?

1 Answer
Apr 17, 2016

#x = 11/12#

Explanation:

Make sure that every term in the equation (including the total) has a common denominator.

12 as a fraction is #12/1#

So what we have is:
#5/x + 6/x = 12/1#

We need to find the LCD (least common denominator), which in this case would be #x#. Both #5/x# and #6/x# have the common denominator of #x# but #12/1# doesn't. To make sure that it does have the common denominator of #x#, we need to multiply both the denominator and the numerator by #x# (#{12 times x}/{1 times x} = (12x)/x#).

Now we have:
#5/x + 6/x = (12x)/x#

Since all of the terms have a common denominator, we can just simply evaluate for what #x# is equal to.
#5 + 6 = 12x#
#11 = 12x#
#11/12 = x#