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Simple math equation issues. :(

Slimline

Slimline

Golden Member
Hey everyone...i would call this a last resort, but I have been practicing and brushing up on my high school math skills for my upcoming PATI test. I have gotten most down, and have no problems with the majority of simpel equations, however I keep getting this one wrong. I will post how I have triest to solve it, and would appreciate someone to show me the correct way.

Well here it is...

4-3(m+1)=(-38)

i know im doing something way wrong, but i cant remember for the life of me..

4-3=(-m-1)(-38)
4-3=(-m+38)
1=(-m+38)
1=-38m
1/-38=m
-38=m


Now the more i look at it the more i know it is way botched. It is that solo (-38) i dont know how to solve for. Please enlighten me 🙂
 
Your first step is wrong. From your initial equation, you can simplify to:

4-3m-3=-38

You can go from there.
 
Yea, the first step is wrong. Even if it were right, the second line is wrong. It would have been 4-3=38m+38
 
hmm ok. i still dont seem to be doing it right.
my next attempt : (bedmas seems so old to me 😛)

The answer on the results page of the practice test states "4 - 3(14) = -(38) so 'm' has to equal 13 [13 + 1 = 14]"
That makes no sense to me lol.

**my NEXT try!*

4-3(m+1)=(-38)
4-3(m+1)=-38
4-3m-3=-38
-3m=-38+3-4
-3m=35
m=35/-3

Argh...
 
Originally posted by: JohnCU
dear lord sir this is the basic properties of algebra
Click to expand...



It sure is! I told you it was embarasing. Thats what three years without practice does to me 😛
 
Originally posted by: Slimline
hmm ok. i still dont seem to be doing it right.
my next attempt : (bedmas seems so old to me 😛)

The answer on the results page of the practice test states "4 - 3(14) = -(38) so 'm' has to equal 13 [13 + 1 = 14]"
That makes no sense to me lol.

**my NEXT try!*

4-3(m+1)=(-38)
4-3(m+1)=-38
4-3m-3=-38
-3m=-38+3-4
-3m=35
m=35/-3

Argh...
Click to expand...
what is your reasoning for going from:
-3m=-38+3-4

to

-3m=35

?
 
Originally posted by: Slimline
hmm ok. i still dont seem to be doing it right.
my next attempt : (bedmas seems so old to me 😛)

The answer on the results page of the practice test states "4 - 3(14) = -(38) so 'm' has to equal 13 [13 + 1 = 14]"
That makes no sense to me lol.

**my NEXT try!*

4-3(m+1)=(-38)
4-3(m+1)=-38
4-3m-3=-38
-3m=-38+3-4
-3m=35
m=35/-3

Argh...
Click to expand...

😕 😕 😕




 
oops i copied my wrong practice scribble 😛 ok, in the right one i went...

-3m=-38-4+3
-3m=-37
m=-37/3

However...that still does not come anywhere close to their answer of... "4 - 3(14) = -(38) so 'm' has to equal 13 [13 + 1 = 14]"

Or do you think it is one of them fancy rounded questions?
 
Originally posted by: Slimline
oops i copied my wrong practice scribble 😛 ok, in the right one i went...

-3m=-38-4+3
-3m=-37
m=-37/3

However...that still does not come anywhere close to their answer of... "4 - 3(14) = -(38) so 'm' has to equal 13 [13 + 1 = 14]"

Or do you think it is one of them fancy rounded questions?
Click to expand...

uh...i think you're really missing the basics of negative/positive or order of operations

how are you going from:
-3m=-38-4+3

to

-3m=-37

?
 
Originally posted by: Slimline
oops i copied my wrong practice scribble 😛 ok, in the right one i went...

-3m=-38-4+3
-3m=-37
m=-37/3

However...that still does not come anywhere close to their answer of... "4 - 3(14) = -(38) so 'm' has to equal 13 [13 + 1 = 14]"

Or do you think it is one of them fancy rounded questions?
Click to expand...

-38-4+3 does not equal -37.
 
Originally posted by: MrChad
-38-4+3 doesn't equal -37 either. Break it up into pieces

-38 - 4 = (-38) + (-4) = ? + 3 = ?
Click to expand...




39...how the hell did i mess that up. damn - and a - laws lol. Thanks everyone now to keep practicing 😀
 
Originally posted by: Slimline
Originally posted by: MrChad
-38-4+3 doesn't equal -37 either. Break it up into pieces

-38 - 4 = (-38) + (-4) = ? + 3 = ?
Click to expand...




39...how the hell did i mess that up. damn - and a - laws lol. Thanks everyone now to keep practicing 😀
Click to expand...

by the way,

from this you posted above:
-3m=-38-4+3
-3m=-37
m=-37/3

let's say you had gotten the second line right, your third line would have still been wrong.
(referring to positive/negative. what you have in the third line would have made 'm' negative whereas the correct answer has 'm' positive)
 
Originally posted by: Slimline
Hey everyone...i would call this a last resort, but I have been practicing and brushing up on my high school math skills for my upcoming PATI test. I have gotten most down, and have no problems with the majority of simpel equations, however I keep getting this one wrong. I will post how I have triest to solve it, and would appreciate someone to show me the correct way.

Well here it is...

4-3(m+1)=(-38)

i know im doing something way wrong, but i cant remember for the life of me..

4-3=(-m-1)(-38)
4-3=(-m+38)
1=(-m+38)
1=-38m
1/-38=m
-38=m


Now the more i look at it the more i know it is way botched. It is that solo (-38) i dont know how to solve for. Please enlighten me 🙂
Click to expand...


4-3(m+1)=(-38)
4-3m-3 = -38
1-3m = -38

-3m = -38-1
-3m = -39

-> m = 13

Now, you can double check your answer.

4-3(m+1) = 4-3(13+1) = 4-(3*14) = 4 - 42 = -38

Hence, m = 13 is correct.
 
yeah i got it all straight now, i have done it over a few times and think i have it. Wish they offered more practice ones like that. the 6(x+3)=15 type are no issue 🙂
 
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