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Sherina wrote and solved the equation. x minus 56 = 230. x minus 56 minus 56 = 230 minus 56. x = 174. What was Sherina’s error?

2 Answers

4 votes

Answer:

D: Sherina should have added 56 to both sides of the equation.

Explanation:

I got a 100% on my test.

I hope this helps.

User Samih
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5 votes

Answer:

subtracting 56 instead of adding (or adding wrong)

Explanation:

She wrote ...

x - 56 = 230

x - 56 - 56 = 230 -56 . . . . correct application of the addition property*

x = 230 -56 . . . . . . . . . . . . incorrect simplification

Correctly done, the third line would be ...

x -112 = 174

This would have made Sherina realize that the error was in subtracting 56 instead of adding it. The correct solution would be ...

x - 56 + 56 = 230 + 56 . . . using the addition property of equality

x = 286 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . correct simplification on both sides

__

There were two errors:

1) incorrect strategy --- subtracting 56 instead of adding

2) incorrect simplification --- simplifying -56 -56 to zero instead of -112

We don't know whether you want to count the error in thinking as the first error, or the error in execution where the mechanics of addition were incorrectly done.

_____

* The addition property of equality requires the same number be added to both sides of the equation. Sherina did that correctly. However, the number chosen to be added was the opposite of the number that would usefully work toward a solution.

User Austin Brunkhorst
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4.8k points