Question 119·Medium·Linear Equations in One Variable

After distributing, simplify each side of the equation by combining constants (plain numbers) before moving terms across the equal sign.

Once you have an equation like $0.6x + 5 = 1.2x - 4$, try to move all x-terms to one side and all constant terms to the other side using addition or subtraction.

When you reach an equation of the form $0.6x = 9$, think about how to solve it: you can either divide both sides by 0.6 or rewrite 0.6 as a fraction to make the arithmetic easier.

In one expression line, type y = 0.6(x - 5) + 8. In a second expression line, type y = 1.2x - 4. This graphs the left and right sides of the equation as two lines.

Zoom or pan the graph until you can see where the two lines cross. Tap or click on the intersection point; Desmos will display its coordinates. The x-coordinate of this intersection is the solution to the equation.

Start with the equation:

Distribute 0.6 to both terms inside the parentheses:

So the equation becomes:

Combine the constants on the left side, $-3 + 8 = 5$:

From

subtract $0.6x$ from both sides to move all x-terms to the right side:

Simplify the right side: $1.2x - 0.6x = 0.6x$:

Now add 4 to both sides to move the constants to the left side:

You now have:

Rewrite $0.6$ as a fraction:

So the equation is the same as

To solve for $x$, multiply both sides by the reciprocal of $\frac{3}{5}$, which is $\frac{5}{3}$:

So the value of $x$ that satisfies the equation is $15$.