Question

He lesson. If the first step in the solution of the equation -x + 6 = 5 - 3x is "subtract 5," then what should the next step be? Add 3x add x subtract 6Choose the answer based on the most efficient method as presented in the lesson. If the first step in the solution of the equation -x + 6 = 5 - 3x is "subtract 5," then what should the next step be? Add 3x add x subtract 6

Answer 1

Explanation:

Answer 2

add x

Explanation:

The operation "subtract 5" has eliminated the constant from the right side of the equation, so the next step would be to eliminate the variable from the left side. You do that by adding the opposite of the variable term.

The opposite of the term -x is x, so we "add x" as the next step.

This makes the solution look like ...

-x +6 = 5 -3x

-x +1 = -3x . . . . . . subtract 5

1 = -2x . . . . . . . . . add x

-1/2 = x . . . . . . . . .divide by -2

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Comment on this solution

My preference is always to add the opposite of the variable term with the smallest coefficient. Here, that term is -3x, so I would add 3x as a first step. This leaves the only x-term with a positive coefficient, so can reduce errors in the solution.