Simple math equation issues. :(

[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

 

[MrChad]

Your first step is wrong. From your initial equation, you can simplify to:

4-3m-3=-38

You can go from there.

 

[mugs]

The thing you're doing wrong is in the first step

Distribute the 3.

 

[HN]

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

4-3m-3=-38

 

[henryay]

Yea, the first step is wrong. Even if it were right, the second line is wrong. It would have been 4-3=38m+38

 

[Slimline]

ok ill retry brb with my results

 

[JohnCU]

dear lord sir this is the basic properties of algebra

 

[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...

 

[Slimline]

Originally posted by: JohnCU
dear lord sir this is the basic properties of algebra

It sure is! I told you it was embarasing. Thats what three years without practice does to me

 

[Tweak155]

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

EDIT: Hit 4 on accident.

 

[MrChad]

Getting closer. You messed up your addition/subtraction of negatives.

-3m=-38+3-4
-3m=35

35 is not the correct simplification of -38+3-4

 

[MrChad]

Originally posted by: Tweak155
38+3-4 = 37....37/-3

EDIT: Hit 4 on accident.

It's -38, not 38.

 

[HN]

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...

what is your reasoning for going from:
-3m=-38+3-4

to

-3m=35

?

 

[jman19]

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...

 

[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?

 

[HN]

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?

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

?

 

[JujuFish]

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?

-38-4+3 does not equal -37.

 

[MrChad]

-38-4+3 doesn't equal -37 either. Break it up into pieces

-38 - 4 = (-38) + (-4) = ? + 3 = ?

 

[l6873]

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

4-3m-3=-38
-3m=-39
m=39/3
m=13

 

[HN]

Originally posted by: l6873
4-3(m+1)=(-38)

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

incorrect

 

[Slimline]

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

-38 - 4 = (-38) + (-4) = ? + 3 = ?

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

 

[HN]

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 = ?

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

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)

 

[l6873]

Originally posted by: HN

Originally posted by: l6873
4-3(m+1)=(-38)

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

incorrect

Whoops. See the edit.

 

[hypn0tik]

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

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.

 

[Slimline]

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