GRE

Equation solving

Quantitative Equation Solving

Isolate the variable by performing the same operation to both sides of the equation Examples:
x + 7 = 11 7 7 x=4

Subtract 7 from both sides

What you do to one side of the equation, you must do to the other side

x 3 = 12 +3 + 3 x = 15

Add 3 to both sides

5 x = 30 5 5 x=6

Divide both sides by 5

3 x + 7 = 19 7 7 3 x = 12 3 3 x=4

Subtract 7 from both sides Divide both sides by 3

2 x + 6 = 7 x 24 2 x 2x 6 = 5 x 24 +24 + 24 30 = 5x 5 5 6= x

Subtract 2x from both sides Add 24 to both sides Divide both sides by 5

3 ( 2 x 1) + 4 x 11 = 8 6 x 3 + 4 x 11 = 8 10 x 14 = 8 +14 + 14 10 x 22 = 10 10

Expand Simplify Add 14 to both sides Divide both sides by 10

To check your answers, plug in the value for x into the equation

x = 2.2

GRE
Equation solving
Practice: Solve each equation for x a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i) j)
2 x 3 = 15
2 x = 14 3 5 x + 8 = 23 10 2 x = 14 3 x + 2 x + x = 66

Quantitative Equation Solving

Answers: a) x = 9 b) x = 21 c) x = 3 d) x = 2 e) x = 11 f) x = 6 g) x = 6 h) x = 5 i) x = 8 j) x = 17 k) x = 4.5 l) x = 9 m) x = 1.2 n) x = 3 o) x = 3

2 ( 5 x 8 ) = 44 4 x + 7 2 6 x = 17 7 x 8 = 3 x + 12
3 ( x 1) = 21 2 ( 2 x + 3 ) = 3 x 11

k) 2 x + 13 = 22 l)
x + x + 3 + x + 5 = 4x 1

m) 3 ( 2 3 x ) = 3 ( x + 2 ) 4 x n) 19 = 5 8x o)
2 x + 2 + 7 x 9 = x 2 + 3 x + 10