GRE Quantitative – Equation Solving

Equation solving
• Isolate the variable by performing the same operation to both sides of the equation

Examples:
x + 7 = 11 What you do to one side
−7 − 7 Å Subtract 7 from both sides of the equation, you must
x=4 do to the other side

x − 3 = 12
+3 + 3 Å Add 3 to both sides
x = 15

5 x = 30
5 5 Å Divide both sides by 5
x=6

3 x + 7 = 19
−7 − 7 Å Subtract 7 from both sides
3 x = 12
3 3 Å Divide both sides by 3
x=4

2 x + 6 = 7 x − 24
−2 x − 2x Å Subtract 2x from both sides
6 = 5 x − 24
+24 + 24 Å Add 24 to both sides
30 = 5x
5 5 Å Divide both sides by 5
6= x

3 ( 2 x − 1) + 4 x − 11 = 8
6 x − 3 + 4 x − 11 = 8Å Expand
To check your answers,
10 x − 14 = 8 Å Simplify
+14 + 14 Å Add 14 to both sides plug in the value for x
10 x 22 into the equation
=
10 10 Å Divide both sides by 10
x = 2.2

1
GRE Quantitative – Equation Solving

Equation solving

Practice: Solve each equation for x Answers:

a) 2 x − 3 = 15 a) x = 9

2
b) x = 14 b) x = 21
3

c) 5 x + 8 = 23 c) x = 3

d) 10 − 2 x = 14 d) x = −2

e) 3 x + 2 x + x = 66 e) x = 11

f) 2 ( 5 x − 8 ) = 44 f) x = 6

g) 4 x + 7 − 2 − 6 x = 17 g) x = −6

h) 7 x − 8 = 3 x + 12 h) x = 5

i) −3 ( x − 1) = −21 i) x = 8

j) 2 ( 2 x + 3 ) = 3 x − 11 j) x = −17

k) −2 x + 13 = 22 k) x = −4.5

l) x + x + 3 + x + 5 = 4x − 1 l) x = 9

m) −3 ( 2 − 3 x ) = 3 ( x + 2 ) − 4 x m) x = 1.2

n) −19 = 5 − 8x n) x = 3

o) 2 x + 2 + 7 x − 9 = x − 2 + 3 x + 10 o) x = 3