<< Chapter < Page Chapter >> Page >

x + 1 = 10

conditional, x = 9

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

y 4 = 7

conditional, y = 11

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

5 a = 25

conditional, a = 5

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

x 4 = 9

conditional, x = 36

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

18 b = 6

conditional, b = 3

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

y 2 = y 2

identity

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

x + 4 = x 3

contradiction

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

x + x + x = 3 x

identity

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

8 x = 0

conditional, x = 0

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

m 7 = 5

conditional, m = 2

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Literal equations

Literal equations

Some equations involve more than one variable. Such equations are called literal equations .

An equation is solved for a particular variable if that variable alone equals an expression that does not contain that particular variable.

    The following equations are examples of literal equations.

  1. y = 2 x + 7 . It is solved for y .
  2. d = r t . It is solved for d .
  3. I = p r t . It is solved for I .
  4. z = x u s . It is solved for z .
  5. y + 1 = x + 4 . This equation is not solved for any particular variable since no variable is isolated.

Solving equation of the form x + a = b and x a = b

Recall that the equal sign of an equation indicates that the number represented by the expression on the left side is the same as the number represented by the expression on the right side.

This is the this number same as number x = 6 x + 2 = 8 x 1 = 5

    This suggests the following procedures:

  1. We can obtain an equivalent equation (an equation having the same solutions as the original equation) by adding the same number to both sides of the equation.
  2. We can obtain an equivalent equation by subtracting the same number from both sides of the equation.

We can use these results to isolate x , thus solving for x .

Solving x + a = b For x

x + a = b The a is associated with x by addition . Undo the association x + a a = b a by subtracting a from b o t h sides . x + 0 = b a a a = 0 and 0 is the additive identity . x + 0 = x . x = b a This equation is equivalent to the first equation, and it is solved for x .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solving x a = b For x

x a = b The a is associated with x by subtraction . Undo the association x a + a = b + a by adding a to b o t h sides . x + 0 = b + a a + a = 0 and 0 is the additive identity . x + 0 = x . x = b + a This equation is equivalent to the first equation, and it is solved for x .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Method for solving x + a = b And x a = b For x

To solve the equation x + a = b for x , subtract a from both sides of the equation.
To solve the equation x a = b for x , add a to both sides of the equation.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Sample set b

Solve x + 7 = 10 for x .

x + 7 = 10 7 is associated with x by addition . Undo the association x + 7 7 = 10 7 by subtracting 7 from b o t h sides . x + 0 = 3 7 7 = 0 and 0 is the additive identity . x + 0 = x . x = 3 x is isolated, and the equation x = 3 is equivalent to the original equation x + 7 = 10. Therefore, these two equation have the same solution . The solution to x = 3 is clearly 3. Thus, the solution to x + 7 = 10 is also 3.

Check : Substitute 3 for x in the original equation. x + 7 = 10 3 + 7 = 10 Is this correct? 10 = 10 Yes, this is correct .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve m 2 = 9 for m .

m 2 = 9 2 is associated with m by subtraction . Undo the association m 2 + 2 = 9 + 2 by adding 2 from b o t h sides . m + 0 = 7 2 + 2 = 0 and 0 is the additive identity . m + 0 = m . m = 7

Check : Substitute 7 for m in the original equation. m 2 = 9 7 2 = 9 Is this correct? 9 = 9 Yes, this is correct .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Use a calculator to solve this equation. Solve y 2.181 = 16.915 for y .

y 2.181 = 16.915 y 2.181 + 2.181 = 16.915 + 2.181 y = 14.734

On the Calculator
Type 16.915 Press + / Press + Type 2.181 Press = Display reads: 14.734

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve y + m = s for y .

y + m = s m is associated with y by addition . Undo the association y + m m = s m by subtracting m from b o t h sides . y + 0 = s m m m = 0 and 0 is the additive identity . y + 0 = y . y = s m

Check : Substitute s m for y in the original equation. y + m = s s m + m = s Is this correct? s = s True Yes, this is correct .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve k 3 h = 8 h + 5 for k .

k 3 h = 8 h + 5 3 h is associated with k by subtraction . Undo the association k 3 h + 3 h = 8 h + 5 + 3 h by adding 3 h to b o t h sides . k + 0 = 5 h + 5 3 h + 3 h = 0 and 0 is the additive identity . k + 0 = k . k = 5 h + 5

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Practice set b

Solve y 3 = 8 for y .

y = 11

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve x + 9 = 4 for x .

x = 13

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve m + 6 = 0 for m .

m = 6

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve g 7.2 = 1.3 for g .

g = 8.5

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

solve f + 2 d = 5 d for f .

f = 3 d

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve x + 8 y = 2 y 1 for x .

x = 6 y 1

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve y + 4 x 1 = 5 x + 8 for y .

y = x + 9

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Exercises

For the following problems, classify each of the equations as an identity, contradiction, or conditional equation.

g + g + g + g = 4 g

identity

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

For the following problems, determine which of the literal equations have been solved for a variable. Write "solved" or "not solved."

4 a = y 6

not solved

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

For the following problems, solve each of the conditional equations.

y + 6 = 11

y = 17

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

g + 164 = 123

g = 287

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

x + 17 = 426

x = 443

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

y + 17.003 = 1.056

y = 18.059

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve n + m = 4 for n .

n = 4 m

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve P + 3 Q 8 = 0 for P .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve a + b 3 c = d 2 f for b .

b = a + 3 c + d 2 f

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve x 3 y + 5 z + 1 = 2 y 7 z + 8 for x .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Solve 4 a 2 b + c + 11 = 6 a 5 b for c .

c = 2 a 3 b 11

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Exercises for review

( [link] ) Simplify ( 4 x 5 y 2 ) 3 .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

( [link] ) Write 20 x 3 y 7 5 x 5 y 3 so that only positive exponents appear.

4 y 4 x 2

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

( [link] ) Write the number of terms that appear in the expression 5 x 2 + 2 x 6 + ( a + b ) , and then list them.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

( [link] ) Find the product. ( 3 x 1 ) 2 .

9 x 2 6 x + 1

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

( [link] ) Specify the domain of the equation y = 5 x 2 .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Questions & Answers

Ayele, K., 2003. Introductory Economics, 3rd ed., Addis Ababa.
Widad Reply
can you send the book attached ?
Ariel
?
Ariel
What is economics
Widad Reply
the study of how humans make choices under conditions of scarcity
AI-Robot
U(x,y) = (x×y)1/2 find mu of x for y
Desalegn Reply
U(x,y) = (x×y)1/2 find mu of x for y
Desalegn
what is ecnomics
Jan Reply
this is the study of how the society manages it's scarce resources
Belonwu
what is macroeconomic
John Reply
macroeconomic is the branch of economics which studies actions, scale, activities and behaviour of the aggregate economy as a whole.
husaini
etc
husaini
difference between firm and industry
husaini Reply
what's the difference between a firm and an industry
Abdul
firm is the unit which transform inputs to output where as industry contain combination of firms with similar production 😅😅
Abdulraufu
Suppose the demand function that a firm faces shifted from Qd  120 3P to Qd  90  3P and the supply function has shifted from QS  20  2P to QS 10  2P . a) Find the effect of this change on price and quantity. b) Which of the changes in demand and supply is higher?
Toofiq Reply
explain standard reason why economic is a science
innocent Reply
factors influencing supply
Petrus Reply
what is economic.
Milan Reply
scares means__________________ends resources. unlimited
Jan
economics is a science that studies human behaviour as a relationship b/w ends and scares means which have alternative uses
Jan
calculate the profit maximizing for demand and supply
Zarshad Reply
Why qualify 28 supplies
Milan
what are explicit costs
Nomsa Reply
out-of-pocket costs for a firm, for example, payments for wages and salaries, rent, or materials
AI-Robot
concepts of supply in microeconomics
David Reply
economic overview notes
Amahle Reply
identify a demand and a supply curve
Salome Reply
i don't know
Parul
there's a difference
Aryan
Demand curve shows that how supply and others conditions affect on demand of a particular thing and what percent demand increase whith increase of supply of goods
Israr
Hi Sir please how do u calculate Cross elastic demand and income elastic demand?
Abari
Got questions? Join the online conversation and get instant answers!
Jobilize.com Reply

Get Jobilize Job Search Mobile App in your pocket Now!

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store Now




Source:  OpenStax, Elementary algebra. OpenStax CNX. May 08, 2009 Download for free at http://cnx.org/content/col10614/1.3
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

Notification Switch

Would you like to follow the 'Elementary algebra' conversation and receive update notifications?

Ask