Solving an Equation with Fractions

Date: 11/27/95 at 19:5:53
Subject: math
From: Sani Salles

How do I do this exercise?  It is:

X+5 = X-4
---   ---
 4     2
       -
       5

Date: 12/4/95 at 1:22:28
From: Doctor Ken
Subject: Re: math

Hello!

The most important thing to remember in doing a problem like this is to 
only try to focus on one part at a time.  You can't do the whole problem 
at once!

So we have this:

 x + 5     x - 4
 -----  =  -----
   4        2/5

The first thing I think I'd do is get rid of that 2/5 by multiplying the
right side of the equation by 5/5.  So we have

 x + 5     x - 4    5
 -----  =  ----- * ---
   4        2/5     5
  
          5(x - 4)
        = --------
              2

          5x - 20
        = -------
             2

Now you could cross-multiply to finish it off!

-Doctor Ken,  The Geometry Forum