## anonymous 5 years ago 1/6 - x/2 = x -5/3

1. anonymous

The x term on the right... can you convert it to an equivalent fraction over 2?

2. anonymous

I don't know how to do that.

3. anonymous

$\frac{1}{6}+\bigg (-\frac{1}{6} \bigg) +\frac{-x}{2}=\frac {x}{1} + \frac {-5}{3}+\bigg (-\frac{1}{6} \bigg)$

4. anonymous

Bring the 1/6 over to the left. Also, Make the x on the right a fraction (every number is a fraction over one).

5. anonymous

Now, can you show me how it's done?

6. anonymous

Ok, from the equation above, we now have... $\frac{-x}{2}=\frac {x}{1} + \frac {-5}{3}+\bigg (-\frac{1}{6} \bigg) \Rightarrow$ $\frac{-x}{2}=\frac {x}{1} + \frac {-10}{6}+\bigg (-\frac{1}{6} \bigg ) \Rightarrow \frac{-x}{2}=\frac {x}{1} + \frac {-9}{6}$

7. anonymous

Any questions so far? I had to double the top and bottom of -5/3 so I could add it to -1/6. Oooops.. Just spotted a math error should be... $\frac{-x}{2}=\frac {x}{1} + \frac {-10}{6}+\bigg (-\frac{1}{6} \bigg ) \Rightarrow \frac{-x}{2}=\frac {x}{1} + \frac {-11}{6}$

8. anonymous

Are you following so far? If so, what is the next step????

9. anonymous

Well, I'm just writing down the way that you've done it.So, what's the answer?

10. anonymous

OK - now you can get rid of the fractions. 6 is the biggest denominator and every other denoninator divides into it. Can you multiply both sides through by 6?

11. anonymous

I mean, I know how to multiply the bottom part,but, the top part is confusing.

12. anonymous

OK, so we will multiply each term by 6/1, canceling top and bottom as we go. It will take me a while to format this so try on your own while I'm typing. OK. :-)

13. anonymous

$\frac{6}{1}*\frac{-x}{2}=\frac{6}{1}*\frac {x}{1} + \frac {-11}{6}*\frac{6}{1}$ OK. next we need to cancel (we're using common factors - but I won't show that step I'll just do it.

14. anonymous

$-3x=6x+(-11)$ Now the fractions are eliminated. Making sense (check all my math).

15. anonymous

That part was kind of crucial so tell me if any of that confused you.

16. anonymous

Yes, it was, and, I'm still not following you.

17. anonymous

I mean, all I really need is the answer.