ACT Preparation / Unit 9 ACT 0804 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Solving a Linear Equation
Captions available
The idea
A linear equation is solved by inverse operations: distribute, combine like terms on each side, gather the variable on one side, then divide by its coefficient.
In practice
3(x − 2) = x + 8 gives 3x − 6 = x + 8, then 2x = 14, so x = 7.
Where people slip
Check by substituting: 3(7 − 2) and 7 + 8 both give 15.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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