## anonymous 4 years ago a number added to 8 times the numbers reciprocal is 6. find the numbers

1. asnaseer

Do you know how to express this as an equation?

2. asnaseer

cal the unknown number 'x'. then what the question states is:$x+\frac{8}{x}=6$do you know how to solve this?

3. anonymous

no

4. asnaseer

first multiply both sides of the equation by 'x' to get rid of the fraction. this gives us:$x^2+8=6x$which can be re-arranged to:$x^2-6x+8=0$this is a standard quadratic equation. hopefully you know how to solve this?

5. anonymous

no

6. asnaseer

do you know how to factorise this expression?

7. anonymous

mmm no

8. anonymous

9. anonymous

i got it is 2 and 4

10. asnaseer

ok - looks like you are trying to solve a problem without first learning the foundation behind it. It might be better for you to first review any notes that your teacher may have given you and then try again to solve this. The aim of OpenStudy is to help students understand how to solve problems - not just give them the answer.

11. anonymous

4 and 2

12. asnaseer

@ale5 - how did you get 2 and 4 if you do not know how to solve this?

13. anonymous

i factor 8 and it give me -2 and -4 and if you add htem is -6 then i solve for x

14. asnaseer

ok - that is the correct approach. you confused me above by saying that ou didn't know how to factorise.

15. asnaseer

I guess what you were trying to say is that you know how to factorise but just couldn't "see" what the factors were for this problem?