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3 votes
Solve this equation for x:5(x-4)=10

User Zhyfer
by
8.2k points

2 Answers

4 votes

Answer:


\bf{x=6}

Explanation:

For now, I will focus on the left side and simplify that as much as I can:


\bf{5(x-4)=10}


\bf{5x-20=10}

Add 20 on each side:


\bf{5x=30}

Divide each side by 5:


\bf{x=6}

User Stuart Ellis
by
9.0k points
1 vote

Answer:

x = 6

Explanation:

You want to solve for x the equation ...

5(x -4) = 10

2 Steps

This is a variation of a 2-step equation. Usually those are solved by first eliminating the unwanted constant, then eliminating the unwanted coefficient.

Here, we can do these steps in reverse order:

5(x -4) = 10 . . . . . . given

x - 4 = 2 . . . . . . . . divide by 5

x = 6 . . . . . . . add 4

The value of x is 6.

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Additional comment

The solution process seeks to undo the operations done to the variable. The reverse of the order of those operations is used. Here, the variable has 4 subtracted, then the sum is multiplied by 5. We chose to undo the multiplication first, then undo the subtraction.

If you eliminate the parentheses to get the "simplified" equation ...

5x -20 = 10

the operations done to the variable are effectively changed to "multiply it by 5", then "subtract 20." The solution steps for this are the steps identified for the usual 2-step equation, above: deal with the constant 20, then deal with the coefficient 5.

Either way, you get the same solution. Our method here uses fewer steps and works with smaller numbers.

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User Ryan Tse
by
8.5k points

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