How do you solve and check your solution given -1/6s=15?

May 20, 2017

See a solution and verification process below:

Explanation:

To solve, multiply each side of the equation by $\textcolor{red}{- 6}$:

$\textcolor{red}{- 6} \times \frac{1}{-} 6 s = \textcolor{red}{- 6} \times 15$

$\cancel{\textcolor{red}{- 6}} \times \frac{1}{\textcolor{red}{\cancel{\textcolor{b l a c k}{- 6}}}} s = - 90$

$1 s = - 90$

$s = - 90$

To verify, substitute $\textcolor{red}{- 90}$ for $\textcolor{red}{s}$ in the original equation and calculate the left side of the equation:

$- \frac{1}{6} \textcolor{red}{s} = 15$ becomes:

$- \frac{1}{6} \times \textcolor{red}{- 90} = 15$

$- \frac{1}{6} \times \left(\textcolor{red}{6 \times - 15}\right) = 15$

$- \frac{1}{\textcolor{red}{\cancel{\textcolor{b l a c k}{6}}}} \times \left(\textcolor{red}{\textcolor{b l a c k}{\cancel{\textcolor{red}{6}}} \times - 15}\right) = 15$

$- 1 \times \textcolor{red}{- 15} = 15$

$15 = 15$

Because both sides of the equation are equal the solution has been verified.