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    flip9's Avatar
    flip9 Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
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    #1

    Oct 16, 2008, 08:12 AM
    Algebra equations?
    Please answer the problem and brake it down so I can understand it please.

    1/3 s+7/9=4/3 s
    ebaines's Avatar
    ebaines Posts: 12,131, Reputation: 1307
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    #2

    Oct 16, 2008, 08:37 AM

    In algebra it helps to think of the equals sign like the pivot of a see-saw or balance beam. The unknown object s is a black box and you are trying to figure out how much it "weighs" based on the effect of moving weights from one side of the balance beam to the other, always being sure to keep the beam in balance. Hence you can add or subtract a number to both sides, or you can multiply or divide both sides by some factor and the equation remains in balance. So th eprocess is to try adding, subtracting, multiplying,or dividing to see if you can simplify the equation and get the unknown quantity S on one side all by itself. Here you start with:

    1/3 s + 7/9 = 4/3 s

    You can subtract an equal "weight" from both sides of the equation and it remains in balance, just as if you added or remove equal weights from both sides of a balance beam. Here you have units of S on both sides of the eqation, and from practice and experience one learns that a good first step is to try to get the equation so that there is a factor of s on one side only. So let's start by subtracting 1/3 s from both sides:

    1/3 s - 1/3 s + 7/9 = 4/3 s - 1/3 s

    Now group terms:

    7/9 = 3/3 s, or
    7/9 = s.

    There's your answer. However, as a last step its always a good idea to check your answer to make sure you didn't make a mistake, So substitute 7/9 for the value s in the original equation, and see if it works:

    1/3 * (7/9) + 7/9 = 4/3 * (7/9)

    7/27 + 7/9 = 28/7

    7/27 + 21/27 = 28/27

    28/27 = 28/27

    So it checks, and you can be confident that s = 7/9.
    ryan2440's Avatar
    ryan2440 Posts: 13, Reputation: 1
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    #3

    Oct 20, 2008, 09:43 PM

    1/3 s+7/9=4/3 s =

    7/9=4/3s - 1/3s=

    7/9 divided by the answer to 4/3s - 1/3s
    seriouslion's Avatar
    seriouslion Posts: 3, Reputation: 1
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    #4

    Oct 20, 2008, 10:24 PM

    1/3 s + 7/9 = 4/3 s

    Step #01: Taking "1/3s" on left hand side

    7/9 = 4/3 s - 1/3s
    Step #02: Simplifying

    7/9= 3/3s
    Thus, s=7/9
    Unknown008's Avatar
    Unknown008 Posts: 8,076, Reputation: 723
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    #5

    Oct 21, 2008, 04:57 AM

    Apart from subtracting as the first step, you can also multiply, and the 'weight' like ebaines said, will still balance:

    1/3 s + 7/9 = 4/3 s

    Multiply everything by '9'

    (1/3 s)(9) + (7/9)(9) = 4/3 s(9)

    3 s + 7 = 12 s

    Then continue with subtracting the 3 s;

    3 s + 7 - 3 s = 12 s - 3 s
    7 = 9 s

    Then, divide by 9 to have;

    7/9 = 9/9 s
    7/9 = s
    s = 7/9

    Hope it helped! Remember that there is usually more than one simgle way to solve a problem, you only need to choose which one fits you the best, or seems easier for you to do!

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