Math Is Fun Forum

soroban

Member

Registered: 2007-03-09

Posts: 452

Re: Can Someone Help Me Make Sense of This Algebra Problem?

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bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: Can Someone Help Me Make Sense of This Algebra Problem?

Hi all;

He has a bunch of them, they cannot all be typos. I guess they are just trying to show that sometimes there is no solution.

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In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

rcwitt

Member

Registered: 2010-12-09

Posts: 36

Re: Can Someone Help Me Make Sense of This Algebra Problem?

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The original problem was sated incorrectly - the subtraction symbol should have been dividing. I corrected it in a later post.

Charlie

bobbym

bumpkin

From: Bumpkinland

Registered: 2009-04-12

Posts: 109,606

Re: Can Someone Help Me Make Sense of This Algebra Problem?

Hi Charlie;

As I stated above not every possible equation has a solution. Some just lead to contradictions. Do the steps of the Algebra that you know and you will find them.

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In mathematics, you don't understand things. You just get used to them.
If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Always satisfy the Prime Directive of getting the right answer above all else.

stapel

Member

Registered: 2006-07-22

Posts: 15

Re: Can Someone Help Me Make Sense of This Algebra Problem?

When you get an "answer" that makes no sense, such as "0x = (something other than zero)", then there is "no solution".

When you get an "answer" which is stupid and obviously, such as "1 = 1", then the solution is "all x" or "all real numbers".