Question

How do you solve `x/12 + 1/3 = -5/3`?

Answer 1

`=> x = -24`

Explanation:

`=>x/12 +1/3 = -5/3`

First, we subtract `1/3` from each side:

`=>x/12 +1/3 - 1/3 = -5/3 - 1/3`

`=> x/12 = -6/3`

`=> x/12 = -2`

Now we multiply both sides by `12`:

`=>x/12(12) = -2(12)`

`=> x = -24`

Answer 2

`x=-24`

Explanation:

`color(blue)("Method")`

Step 1: Make all the bottom numbers (denominators) the same and `color(white)("dddddd")`adjust the top numbers (numerators) to suite.

Step 2: Only consider the numerators and solve for `x`
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
`color(blue)("Answering the question")`

`color(green)( x/12+color(white)("d")[1/3color(red)(xx1)]=-[5/3color(red)(xx1)]`

`color(green)(x/12+[1/3color(red)(xx4/4)]=-[5/3color(red)(xx4/4)] )`

`color(green)(x/12+color(white)("dd")4/12color(white)("ddd")=color(white)("dd")-20/12`
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Now we can be 'lazy' and just say 'forget about the denominators'. If you wish on the other hand to be mathematically correct you say: multiply both sides by 12.

`x+4=-20`

Subtract 4 from both sides

`x=-24`