Linear equations in

one variable
In this unit we give examples of simple linear equations and show you how these can be
solved. In any equation there is an unknown quantity, x say, that we are trying to find. In a
linear equation
√
this unknown quantity will appear only as a multiple of x, and not as a function of x such as
x , x , x, sin x and so on. Linear equations occur so frequently in the solution of other
2 3

problems
that a thorough understanding of them is essential.
In order to master the techniques explained here it is vital that you undertake plenty of
practice exercises so that all this becomes second nature. To help you to achieve this, the
unit includes a substantial number of such exercises.

After reading this text, and/or viewing the video tutorial on this topic, you should be able to:

• recognize simple linear equations

• solve simple linear equations
• check that your solutions are correct by substitution

1. Introduction
In this unit we are going to be looking at simple equations in one variable, and the
equations will be linear - that means there will be no x2 terms and no x3’s, just x’s and
numbers. For example, we will see how to solve the equation 3x + 15 = x + 25.

2. Solving equations by collecting terms

Suppose we wish to solve the equation

3x + 15 = x + 25

The important thing to remember about any equation is that the equals sign represents a
balance. What an equals sign says is that what’s on the left-hand side is exactly the same
as what’s on the right-hand side. So, if we do anything to one side of the equation we have
to do it to the other side. If we don’t, the balance is disturbed. Therefore, whatever
operation we perform on either side of the equation, so long as it’s done in exactly the
same way on each side the balance will be preserved.

Our first step in solving any equation is to attempt to gather all the x’s together and to gather
all the numbers together. From 3x + 15 = x + 25
we can subtract x from each side, because this will remove it entirely from the right, to give

www.mathcentre.ac.uk 1
 2x + 15 = 25

We can subtract 15 from each side to give

2x = 10

and finally, by dividing each side by 2 we obtain

x=5

So the solution of the equation is x = 5. This solution should be checked by substitution into
the original equation in order to check that both sides are the same. If we do this, the left is
3(5) + 15 = 30. The right is 5 + 25 = 30. So the left equals the right and we have checked
that the solution is correct.
Example
Solve the equation 2x + 3 = 6 − (2x − 3).
Solution
From 2x + 3 = 6 − (2x − 3) we first remove the brackets on the right to give

2x + 3 = 6 − 2x + 3 so that 2x + 3 = 9 − 2x

We are now in the same position as we were in during the first Example. We need to get the
x’s together by adding 2x to each side.
4x + 3 = 9
Now take 3 away from each
4x = 6
side: so that
6
x =
4 ( by dividing both sides by 4)
3
=
2
1
= 1
2
When solving simple equations we should always check the solution by taking our answer
and substituting it in the original equation to check that the left- and right- hand sides are the
same.
Substituting x = 11
2 in the left-hand side gives:
. Σ
1
2× 1 +3=3+3=6
2

Substituting x = 11 in the right-hand side gives:

2

www.mathcentre.ac.uk 2
 . . Σ Σ
1
6− 2× 1 − 3 =6− 0=6
2
So again, the left- and right- hand sides are equal - we’ve got that balance, so we know that
we’ve got the right answer.

Exercise 1

1. Solve the following equations.

a) 5 − 3x = −4 b) 2 + 14x = 30 c) 9 + 5x = 3x + 13

d) 4 − 3x = 8 + x e) 5 + 3(x − 1) = 5x − 6

3. Solving equations by removing brackets & collecting

terms
Example
Solve the equation
8(x − 3) − (6 − 2x) = 2(x + 2) − 5(5 − x)
We begin by multiplying out the brackets, taking care, in particular, with any minus signs.

8x − 24 − 6 + 2x = 2x + 4 − 25 + 5x
Each side can be tidied up by collecting the x terms and the numbers together.
10x − 30 = 7x − 21
Now take 7x from each side, and then add 30 to each side:
3x − 30 = −21
3x = 9
x = 3

And again you should take the solution (x = 3), substitute it back into the original equation to
check that we have got the correct answer. On the left:
8(x − 3) − (6 − 2x) = 8(3 − 3) − (6 − 2(3)) = 0 − 0 = 0.
On the right:
2(x + 2) − 5(5 − x) = 2(3 + 2) − 5(5 − 3) = 10 − 10 = 0.
So both sides equal zero. The equation balances and so x = 3 is the solution.

Example
Solve the equation
(x + 1)(2x + 1) = (x + 3)(2x + 3) − 14
We begin by removing the brackets.
 2x2 + x + 2x + 1 = 2x2 + 3x + 6x + 9 − 14
So
2x2 + 3x + 1 = 2x2 + 9x − 5
Remember we stated that we are dealing in this unit with linear equations, so there should
be no
x2 terms. In fact, they all cancel out:
There is a term 2x2 on both sides. We can subtract 2x2 from both sides to leave
3x + 1 = 9x − 5
We can now proceed as in the earlier examples.

3x + 1 = 9x − 5
1 = 6x − 5
6 = 6x
1= x
So the solution is x = 1. As before, we can substitute it back into the original equation as a
check.
On the left:
(x + 1)(2x + 1) = (1 + 1)(2 + 1) = (2)(3) = 6
On the right
(x + 3)(2x + 3) − 14 = (1 + 3)(2 + 3) − 14 = (4)(5) − 14 = 20 − 14 = 6
So both sides equal 6 and the equations balance when x = 1. The solution is x = 1.

Exercise 2: Solve the following equations.

a) 5(3 − x) − 2(4 − 3x) = 11 − 2(x − 1)

b) 5(1 − 2x) + 2(3 − x) = 3(x + 4) + 14

4. Linear equations with fractional coefficients

Example
Solve the equation
4(x + 5x
2) =7+
13
Solution 5
In this Example the fractions are the cause of the difficulty. We want to try to remove them
and work with whole numbers. Multiplying both sides by 5 and then by 13 will remove the
fractions. This is equivalent to multiplying both sides by the lowest common denominator,
which is 5 × 13 = 65.
4(x + 2) 5x
=7+
5 .13 5x Σ
4(x +
2)
65 × = 65 7 +
 5 13
4(x + 2) 5x
65 × = 65 × 7 + 65 ×
5 13 5x
4(x +
13
2)/6× 5 5/1
/ = 65 × 7 +5 /6/5 ×
1 1
52(x + 2) = 455 + 25x /

This is a much more familiar form, like the earlier examples. Multiply out the brackets, collect
together x terms and collect together the numbers.

52x + 104 = 455 + 25x

27x = 3 5 1
351
x =
27
= 13

We should go back and check this solution to make sure it is correct. So let’s do that.
On the left hand side:
4(x + 2) 4(13 + 60
= = = 12
5 2) 5
On the 5
right: 5x
(5)(13)
7+ =7+ = 7 + 5 = 12
13 13
We see that the left and right sides are equal. So the solution x = 13 is correct.
Example

x+5 x+1 x+3

Solve 6 − 9 = 4

Solution
In this example there are no brackets. Does that make any difference? The thing you have to
x+5
remember is that a division line also acts as a bracket. For example, means that all of
6
x + 5 is divided by 6. So it is helpful to put brackets around these terms.
(x + 5) (x + 1) (x + 3)
− =
6 9 4

Now we need a common denominator; we need a number into which all of the individual
denom- inators (6, 9 and 4) will divide exactly. The lowest number into which they all divide
is 36. So let’s multiply throughout by 36.
36(x + 5) 36(x + 1) 36(x + 3)
− =
6 9 4

Notice that we’ve made it quite clear by using the brackets what the 36 is multiplying. Each
term can be simplifed by dividing top and bottom by the common factors.
6
/3/6(x + 9
5)
4
/3/6(x /3/6(x
− + 3)
+ 1) =
6/ 1
9/ 1 4/
1

6(x + 5) 4(x + 1) 9(x + 3)

=
1 1 1
from which −
6x + 30 − 4x − 4 = 9x + 27

Simplifying the left and right hand sides separately

2x + 26 = 9x + 27

Then take 2x away from each side to give

26 = 7x + 27

Take 27 away from each 1

side and finally

www.mathcentre.ac.uk 6
−1 = 7x 1
x=−
7
So, the solution is x = − . This should be checked by substitution into the original equation
as 7
follows:

www.mathcentre.ac.uk 6
 1
Substitution of x = − into the left-hand side of the original equation we find:
7
− 17 + 5 −17 + 1
− 9
6
which simplifies as follows: −1+35 −1+7
7
7
6 9
and further to −
34 − 6 17 2 15 5
= − = =
42 63 21 21 21 7
1
Substitution of x =
− 7 into the right-hand side of the original equation we find
1 −1+21
−7+3 20 5
4 = 47 = 28 = 7
1
We see that, with x =
− 7 both sides are equal and so the solution is correct.
Example

4 − 5x 1 − 2x 13
Solve 6 − 3 = 42 .

Solution
First of all remember that the division line means divide all of
−4 5x by 6. So let’s put in
brackets to be absolutely clear:
(4 − 5x) (1 − 2x) 13
6 − 3 = 42
Now we need a common denominator for the denominators 6, 3 and 42. Note that both 6
and 3 will divide into 42 so choose 42 as the common denominator. Multiply everything by
42. So we have
42(4 − 5x) 42(1 − 2x) 13
− = 42 ×
Simplifying each 6 3 42
term 7
4/2(4 − 5x) 14
4/2(1 − 2x) 13
/ / 1 /
− 3/ 1 = /42 × 1
6/ 1 /4/2
Now multiply out the brackets and simplify the left-hand side.

28 − 35x − 14 + 28x = 13

From which

14 − 7x = 13
−7x = −1
−1
x = 7
−
1

www.mathcentre.ac.uk 7
 =
7

www.mathcentre.ac.uk 8
 1
So, the solution is x . Again this should be checked.
7
=
Substitution of into the left-hand side of the original equation gives
1
x=
7
4− 1
5
7
−
Simplifying we find 6
this equals 7
2

3
28 − 5 7
23 10 13
− = − =
42 2 42 2 42 42 42
1 −
1 2 23
= −
5

and since this is the same as the right-hand side of the original
equation the solution is correct.
Exercise 3: Solve the equations
x 1 3 1
a) 5 + = 7 b) x −1=5 c) x−2= x
3 2 4 3
+3
2 x+2 1 5x + 1 x − 2 2x + 4
d) 4 − x e) = f) =
3 5 3 5− 2x 2 6 −3
−
x 6
=

5. Another form of a linear equation in one

variable
In this final section we have a look at some equations which at first
sight appear not to be linear equations. However, with some
algebraic manipulation they can be recast in a more familiar form.
Example
3 6
Solve = .
5 x
Solution
Again, we need a common denominator. We need a quantity that will
be divisible by 5 and by x. The obvious choice is 5x. So let’s multiply
both sides by 5x and simplify.

3 6
1
5/ x × = 5/x1 ×
Finally x must be equal to
And so 10.
www.mathcentre.ac.uk 8
5 /x1
/1

We now look at
another way of
solving this equation:
3 6
=
5
x
If two fractions are
equal, they are also
equal if we invert
them.
5
x
=
3 6

www.mathcentre.ac.uk 8
This makes it easier still because all we need to do now is multiply by the common
denominator and we can see what the common denominator is. It’s quite clearly 6. Multiply
by the common denominator of 6 and simplify the result.
5
2
6/ × = 1 6/
x
×
3/ 1 6/ 1
so that
10 =
x
from which x = 10 as before.

Example
5 25
Solve = .
3x 27
Solution

We will tackle this by inverting each fraction.

3x 27
=
5 25
There is now a common denominator of 25. Multiply both sides by 25 and simplify to get

15x = 27
27
x =
15
9
=
5
The answer can be left like this or written as the mixed number 51 4 .

Now some of you may not like the idea of flipping over the fractions. So let’s tackle this in
another way. So again, to solve
5 25
=
3x 27
Let’s look for a common denominator between 3x and 27. So we want something 3x will
divide into exactly and something that 27 will divide into exactly. Such a quantity is 27x. So
that’s going to be our common denominator. Multiply both sides by 27x.
5 25
27x × = 27x ×
3x 27
So
45 = 25x
from which
19x 57
Solve = .

Example

www.mathcentre.ac.uk 9
 45 9 x= =
25 5
7 49

www.mathcentre.ac.uk 10
Solution

The common denominator of 7 and 49 is 49. Multiplying both sides by 49 and simplifying:
19x 57
49 × = 49 ×
7 49
So

and dividing each side by 7 × 19x = 57

19: which means 7x = 3

3
x=
7
The important thing in dealing with these kind of
equations and any kind of equations is to 3x 2
remember that the equals sign represents a c) =
4 5
balance. What it tells you is that what’s on the
left-hand side is exactly equal to what’s on the
right-hand side. So whatever you do to one side
you have to do to the other side and you must
follow the rules of arithmetic when you do it.

Exercise 4: Solve the following equations.

1 4x −
a) 6x + 2 = 29 − 3x b) 3 x + 4 = 5
1