Question

Can someone explain how I solve this equation:
3.5x - 1 = -1/2(-7x + 2)
-1/2 is a fraction.

Accepted Answer

To solve this equation, we need to get everything that looks like x to one side of the equation, and everything else to the other side.  This means:
3.5x-1=-1/2(-7x+2)  multiply both sides by -2
-7x+2=-7x+2  move variables to left side, and numbers to right
-7x+7x=2-2  simplify
0=0 
This equation is true for all values of x, which means that its solution is all real numbers.

Answer

As you have propably noticed,no matter what number you give as x you get a correct result
Try 1,2,3 or any real number. Strange,huh?
Let's take it from the top
In general you have to get all first grade equations to look like this
a*x + b = 0, where a and b are real numbers and you try to find x
Now,
I)if a = 0 then 
                         a) if b = 0 then every real will do, because the equation will take the form " 0*x = 0 "
                         b) if b != 0(isn't equal to 0 ) then no real number will do,because the equation will take the form " 0*x != 0" (which is not possible as you can understand)
II) if a != 0 then x = - b/a
(a*x + b = 0 => a*x = -b => x = - b/a)
 
That's all the theory
 
In your case,if you multiply by 2 you get 
7 * x - 2 = - (- 7 *x + 2) =>
7 * x - 2 = 7 *x - 2 => 7*x = 7*x => (7-7)*x=0 
0 * x = 0 (I-a case)
Hope it helped!

Answer

3.5x-1 = -1/2(-7x + 2)Start off by doing distributive property on the right side3.5x-1 = (-1/2 times -7x) + (-1/2 times 2)3.5x-1 = -3.5x-1Now isolate the 2 terms by moving -3.5x to the left and -1 to the right3.5x+3.5x-1 =-3.5x+3.5x -17x-1 = -17x-1+1 = -1 + 17x = 0Now divide both sides by 7 to get x alone7x/7 = 0/7x = 0

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Can someone explain how I solve this equation: 3.5x - 1 = -1/2(-7x + 2) -1/2 is a fraction.

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