Linear Equations
I can solve linear equations where
Solving Linear Equations
the variable appears on both sides.
Keywords:
I can solve linear equations
involving brackets. Brackets Rearrange
Balancing Solution
Equation Solve
I can solve linear equations
involving fractions.
STARTER:
Factorise the following expressions:
a. e.
b. f.
c. g.
d. h.
To solve equations with fractions you will need to multiply both
sides of the equation by the denominator at some stage. It is
important to do the inverse operations in the right order.
To solve these, you must eliminate the constant term first before
multiplying by the denominator of the fraction. It is essential to check
your answers in the original equation
Work through the following examples noting how to rearrange the
equations.
Try this one…
Solve this equation:
-1
𝒙
First, subtract 1 from both sides: = 𝟒
𝟑
Now, multiply both sides by 3: 𝒙 =𝟏𝟐
Try this one…
Solve this equation:
First, multiply both sides by 5: 𝒙 − 𝟐=𝟏𝟓
+2
Now, add two to both sides: 𝒙 =𝟏 𝟕
Try this one…
Solve this equation:
+3
𝟑 𝒙
First, add 3 to both sides: =𝟒
𝟒
Now, multiply both sides by 4: 𝟑 𝒙 =𝟏 𝟔
𝟏𝟔
Finally, divide both sides by 3: 𝒙 =
𝟑
Solve these equations:
1) f = 30
2) w = 21
3) x = 72
4) t = 12
5) y=6 1) x = 10.5
2) t = -10
3) x=7
4) t = 11
1) x=7 5) x=2
2) y = 2.8
3) y=1
4) x = 11.5
5) t = 0.2
A teacher asked her class to solve the equation
Betsy wrote:
Amanda wrote:
When the teacher read out the correct answer of 13, both students ticked their work as
correct.
a) Which student used the correct method?
b) Explain the mistakes the other student made.
(3marks)
When you have an equation that contains brackets, you first must
multiply out the brackets and then solve the resulting equation.
Try this one…
Solve this equation:
First, multiply out the brackets to 𝟓 𝒙 + 𝟏𝟓= 𝟐𝟓
get:
Rearrange: 𝟓 𝒙 =𝟐𝟓 − 𝟏𝟓=𝟏𝟎
𝟓 𝒙 𝟏𝟎
Divide by 5: =
𝟓 𝟓
𝒙 =𝟐
When you have an equation that contains brackets, you first must
multiply out the brackets and then solve the resulting equation.
Try this one…
Solve this equation:
First, multiply out the brackets to 𝟔 𝒙 − 𝟐𝟏 =𝟏𝟓
get:
Add 21 to both sides: 𝟔 𝒙 =𝟑𝟔
𝟔 𝒙 𝟑𝟔
Divide by 6: =
𝟔 𝟔
𝒙 =𝟔
Solve each of the following equations:
1) x=3
2) t=7
3) x=7
4) x=3
5) y=4
6) x=6 1) t=8
2) t=1
3) x = 1.5
4) y = 2.5
5) k = 0.5
6) x = 1.2
1) x = 2.22
2) x = -2
3) x = -1
4) t = -2
5) x = -2
6) t = -1
1) Fill in values for and so that the answer to this equation is .
2)My son is years old. In five years’ time, I will be twice his age and
both our ages will be multiples of 10. The sum of our ages will be
between 50 and 100. How old am I now?
(5marks)
When a letter (or variable) appears on both sides of an equation, it is
best to use the ‘do the same to both sides’ method of solution,
and collect all the terms containing the letter on the left-hand side of
the equation. But when there are more of the letters on the right-hand
side, it is easier to turn the equation round. When an equation
contains brackets, they must be multiplied out first.
Try this one…
Solve this equation:
There are more ‘x’s on the left-hand side, so leave the equation as it is.
Subtract from both sides: 𝟐 𝒙 + 𝟒 =𝟏𝟎
Subtract 4 from both sides: 𝟐 𝒙 =𝟔
Divide both sides by 2: 𝒙 =𝟑
Try this one…
Solve this equation:
There are more ‘x’s on the right-hand side, so leave the equation as it is.
Subtract from both sides: 𝟑 =𝟒 𝐱 −𝟓
Add 5 to both sides: 𝟖 =𝟒 𝐱
Divide both sides by 4: 𝟐= 𝒙
Try this one…
Solve this equation:
Multiply out both brackets: 𝟔 𝒙 + 𝟏𝟓+ 𝒙 = 𝟒− 𝟐 𝐱 +𝟐
Simplify both sides: 𝟕 𝒙 + 𝟏𝟓= 𝟔− 𝟐 𝐱
There are more ‘x’s on the left-hand side, so leave the equation as it is.
Add to both sides: 𝟗 𝒙 + 𝟏𝟓= 𝟔
Subtract 15 from both sides: 𝟗 𝒙 =− 𝟗
Divide both sides by 9. 𝒙 =− 𝟏
Solve each of the following equations:
1. 5
Solve each of the following equations:
Terry says: June says:
I am thinking of a I am thinking of a
number. I multiply it by 3 number. I multiply it by 2
and subtract 2. and add 5.
Terry and June find that they both thought of the same number and
both got the same final answer. What number did they think of?
(3marks)
Wilson has eight coins of the same value and seven pennies.
Chloe has 11 coins of the same value as those that Wilson has and
also has five pennies.
Wilson says, “If you give me one of your coins and four pennies, we
will have the same amount of money.”
What is the value of the coins that Wilson and Chloe have?
(4marks)
Explain why there are an infinite number of
solutions to the equation:
