Question

How do I do I solve for X? I forgot how to do it.

Answer 1

if it’s in an equation you need to isolate it. if there’s like terms on both sides of an equation, do the inverse operation to get them on one side, the opposite side of x. for example:

3+5x=2x+9

STEP ONE:

first we want x all on one side, so we do -2, since - is the inverse operation of +. remember to do this on both sides of the =. then we have 3x on one side.

3+5x=2x+9
-2x -2x

so we are left with

3+3x=9

STEP TWO:
we want to isolate x, which basically means get it alone on its side of the=. to do this we need to get rid f the 3. so, we do -3 on BOTH sides of the =, since - is the inverse operation of +.

3+3x=9
-3 -3

we are left with

3x=9

STEP THREE:
now we can actually solve for x. to find what one x is, we need to get one x from the 3x. since 3x implies multiplication (x•x•x), we do division since it is the inverse.

3x=9
— —
3 3

now we are left with

x=3

and you have solved for x!

hope this example helps!

Answer 2

You isolate x first by dividing each term by the x coefficient. For example, you divide 9x and 27 by 9, since 9 is the x term coefficient, then to solve for x. 9x/9=x and 9/9=1, so you are left with x=1.