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1.3 Solving Linear Equations

GOAL 1 SOLVING A LINEAR EQUATION
What you should learn
GOAL 1 Solve linear An equation is a statement in which two expressions are equal. A linear equation
equations. in one variable is an equation that can be written in the form ax = b where a and b
GOAL 2 Use linear are constants and a ≠ 0. A number is a solution of an equation if the statement is
equations to solve real-life true when the number is substituted for the variable.
problems, such as finding Two equations are equivalent if they have the same solutions. For instance, the
how much a broker must sell equations x º 4 = 1 and x = 5 are equivalent because both have the number 5 as
in Example 5.
their only solution. The following transformations, or changes, produce equivalent
equations and can be used to solve an equation.
Why you should learn it
 To solve real-life
problems, such as finding TRANSFORMATIONS THAT PRODUCE EQUIVALENT EQUATIONS
the temperature at which dry
ice changes to a gas in ADDITION PROPERTY Add the same number to both sides:
Ex. 43. AL LI
OF EQUALITY If a = b, then a + c = b + c.
FE
RE

SUBTRACTION PROPERTY Subtract the same number from both sides:

OF EQUALITY If a = b, then a º c = b º c.
MULTIPLICATION PROPERTY Multiply both sides by the same nonzero
OF EQUALITY number: If a = b and c ≠ 0, then ac = bc.
DIVISION PROPERTY Divide both sides by the same nonzero number:
OF EQUALITY If a = b and c ≠ 0, then a ÷ c = b ÷ c.

EXAMPLE 1 Solving an Equation with a Variable on One Side

3
Solve x + 9 = 15.
7
SOLUTION
Your goal is to isolate the variable on one side of the equation.
3
x + 9 = 15 Write original equation.
7
3
x = 6 Subtract 9 from each side.
7
7 7 3
x = (6) Multiply each side by }}, the reciprocal of }}.
3 7
3
x = 14 Simplify.

 The solution is 14.

✓CHECK Check x = 14 in the original equation.
3
(14) + 9 · 15 Substitute 14 for x.
7
15 = 15 ✓ Solution checks.

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EXAMPLE 2 Solving an Equation with a Variable on Both Sides

STUDENT HELP Solve 5n + 11 = 7n º 9.

NE
ER T
HOMEWORK HELP
INT

Visit our Web site

SOLUTION
www.mcdougallittell.com 5n + 11 = 7n º 9 Write original equation.
for extra examples.
11 = 2n º 9 Subtract 5n from each side.

20 = 2n Add 9 to each side.

10 = n Divide each side by 2.

 The solution is 10. Check this in the original equation.

EXAMPLE 3 Using the Distributive Property

Solve 4(3x º 5) = º2(ºx + 8) º 6x.

SOLUTION
4(3x º 5) = º2(ºx + 8) º 6x Write original equation.

12x º 20 = 2x º 16 º 6x Distributive property

12x º 20 = º4x º 16 Combine like terms.

16x º 20 = º16 Add 4x to each side.

16x = 4 Add 20 to each side.

1
x =  Divide each side by 16.
4

 1
The solution is . Check this in the original equation.
4

EXAMPLE 4 Solving an Equation with Fractions

1 1 1
STUDENT HELP Solve x +  = x º .
3 4 6
Skills Review
For help with finding the SOLUTION
LCD, see p. 939. 1 1 1
x +  = x º  Write original equation.
3 4 6

 13 1

12 x +  = 12 x º 
4  1
6  Multiply each side by the LCD, 12.

4x + 3 = 12x º 2 Distributive property

3 = 8x º 2 Subtract 4x from each side.

5 = 8x Add 2 to each side.

5
 = x Divide each side by 8.
8

 5
The solution is . Check this in the original equation.
8

20 Chapter 1 Equations and Inequalities

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FOCUS ON
CAREERS GOAL 2 USING LINEAR EQUATIONS IN REAL LIFE

EXAMPLE 5 Writing and Using a Linear Equation

REAL ESTATE A real estate broker’s base salary is $18,000. She earns a 4%
commission on total sales. How much must she sell to earn $55,000 total?
SOLUTION
VERBAL Total Base Commission Total
MODEL income = salary + rate • sales

L
LABELS Total income = 55,000 (dollars)
AL I
REAL ESTATE
FE
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BROKER Base salary = 18,000 (dollars)

Real estate brokers must Commission rate = 0.04 (percent in decimal form)
have a thorough knowledge
not only of the real estate Total sales = x (dollars)
market, but of mathematics
as well. Brokers often pro-
ALGEBRAIC
vide buyers with information MODEL
55,000 = 18,000 + 0.04 x Write linear equation.
about loans, loan rates, and
monthly payments. 37,000 = 0.04x Subtract 18,000 from each side.
NE
ER T

925,000 = x
INT

CAREER LINK Divide each side by 0.04.

www.mcdougallittell.com
 The broker must sell real estate worth a total of $925,000 to earn $55,000.

L
AL I EXAMPLE 6 Writing and Using a Geometric Formula
FE
RE

Photo Framing You have a 3 inch by 5 inch photo that you want to enlarge, mat, and frame. You want
the width of the mat to be 2 inches on all sides. You want the perimeter of the framed
photo to be 44 inches. By what percent should you enlarge the photo?
SOLUTION
Let x be the percent (in decimal form) of enlargement
relative to the original photo. So, the dimensions of the 2 3x 2
enlarged photo (in inches) are 3x by 5x. Draw a diagram. 2 2
PROBLEM
SOLVING VERBAL
MODEL Perimeter = 2 • Width + 2 • Length
STRATEGY
5x 5x

LABELS Perimeter = 44 (inches)

2 2
Width = 4 + 3x (inches)
2 3x 2
Length = 4 + 5x (inches)

ALGEBRAIC 44 = 2 (4 + 3x) + 2 (4 + 5x) Write linear equation.

MODEL
44 = 16 + 16x Distribute and combine like terms.

28 = 16x Subtract 16 from each side.

1.75 = x Divide each side by 16.

 You should enlarge the photo to 175% of its original size.

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GUIDED PRACTICE
Vocabulary Check ✓ 1. What is an equation?
Concept Check ✓ 2. What does it mean for two equations to be equivalent? Give an example of two
equivalent equations.
3. How does an equation such as 2(x + 3) = 10 differ from an identity such as
2(x + 3) = 2x + 6?
ERROR ANALYSIS Describe the error(s). Then write the correct steps.
4. 1 1 5.
x +  = –2 2(x + 3) = –3(–x + 1)
5 6

1 1

30 x +  = –2
5 6
2x + 6 = 3x – 3

6x + 5 = –2 5x + 6 = –3
6x = –7 5x = –9
5
x = – 
7 x = – 
6 9

6. Describe the transformation(s) you would use to solve 2x º 8 = 14.

Skill Check ✓ Solve the equation.

7. x + 4 = 9 8. 4x = 24 9. 2x º 3 = 7
1 1 11 3 2 5
10. 0.2x º 8 = 0.6 11. x +  =  12. x º  = 
3 2 12 4 3 6
13. 1.5x + 9 = 4.5 14. 6x º 4 = 2x + 10 15. 2(x + 2) = 3(x º 8)

16. REAL ESTATE SALES The real estate broker’s base salary from Example 5
has been raised to $21,000 and the commission rate has been increased to 5%.
How much real estate does the broker have to sell now to earn $70,000?

PRACTICE AND APPLICATIONS

STUDENT HELP DESCRIBING TRANSFORMATIONS Describe the transformation(s) you would
use to solve the equation.
Extra Practice
1 4
to help you master 17. x + 5 = º7 18. x = 3 19. ºx = 6
skills is on p. 940. 6 7
x
20. 2x º 9 = 0 21.  + 2 = 89 22. 3 = ºx º 5
3

SOLVING EQUATIONS Solve the equation. Check your solution.

23. 4x + 7 = 27 24. 7s º 29 = º15

STUDENT HELP 25. 3a + 13 = 9a º 8 26. m º 30 = 6 º 2m

HOMEWORK HELP 27. 15n + 9 = 21 28. 2b + 11 = 15 º 6b

Examples 1–4: Exs. 17–40
29. 2(x + 6) = º2(x º 4) 30. 4(º3x + 1) = º10(x º 4) º 14x
Examples 5, 6: Exs. 43–49
31. º(x + 2) º 2x = º2(x + 1) 32. º4(3 + x) + 5 = 4(x + 3)

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SOLVING EQUATIONS Solve the equation. Check your solution.

7 1 5 1 19
33. x º 1 = 2x + 5 34. x º  = ºx + 
2 2 3 2 4
3 4
  11
35.  x º 2 = 
4 5 4
2 6 7

36. º x º  = 
3 5 10
17
20 
37. 2.7n + 4.3 = 12.94 38. º4.2n º 6.5 = º14.06
39. 3.1(x + 2) º 1.5x = 5.2(x º 4) 40. 2.5(x º 3) + 1.7x = 10.8(x + 1.5)
GEOMETRY CONNECTION Find the dimensions of the figure.
41. Area = 504 42. Perimeter = 23

14 11  x 3x  2

10x  24 x2
In Exercises 43 and 44, use the following formula.
9
degrees Fahrenheit = (degrees Celsius) + 32
5
43. DRY ICE Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide. Dry ice does not melt — it
changes directly from a solid to a gas. Dry ice changes to a gas at º109.3°F.
What is this temperature in degrees Celsius?
44. VETERINARY MEDICINE The normal body temperature of a dog is 38.6°C.
Your dog’s temperature is 101.1°F. Does your dog have a fever? Explain.
45. CAR REPAIR The bill for the repair of your car was $390. The cost for parts
was $215. The cost for labor was $35 per hour. How many hours did the repair
work take?
FOCUS ON 46. SUMMER JOBS You have two summer jobs. In the first job, you work
CAREERS
28 hours per week and earn $7.25 per hour. In the second job, you earn $6.50
per hour and can work as many hours as you want. If you want to earn $255 per
week, how many hours must you work at your second job?
47. STOCKBROKER A stockbroker earns a base salary of $40,000 plus 5% of
the total value of the stocks, mutual funds, and other investments that the
stockbroker sells. Last year, the stockbroker earned $71,750. What was the total
value of the investments the stockbroker sold?
48. WORD PROCESSING You are writing a term paper. You want to include a
 1
table that has 5 columns and is 360 points wide. A point is  of an inch. You
72 
want the first column to be 200 points wide and the remaining columns to be
equal in width. How wide should each of the remaining columns be?
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AL I
STOCKBROKER
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WALKWAY CONSTRUCTION You are

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49.
Stockbrokers buy x
building a walkway of uniform width around
and sell stocks, bonds, and
other securities for clients a 100 foot by 60 foot swimming pool. After x
as discussed in Ex. 47. completing the walkway, you want to put a
fence along the outer edge of the walkway. 60 ft
Stockbrokers typically study
economics in college. You have 450 feet of fencing to enclose the x
NE
ER T 100 ft
walkway. What is the maximum width of
INT

CAREER LINK
www.mcdougallittell.com the walkway? x

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Test 50. MULTI-STEP PROBLEM You are in charge of constructing a fence around the
running track at a high school. The fence is to be built around the track so that
Preparation there is a uniform gap between the outside edge of the track and the fence.

81 m

100 m

a. What is the maximum width of the gap between the track and the fence if
no more than 630 meters of fencing is used? (Hint: Use the equation for the
circumference of a circle, C = 2πr, to help you.)
b. You are charging the school $10.50 for each meter of fencing. The school has
$5250 in its budget to spend on the fence. How many meters of fencing can
you use with this budget?
c. CRITICAL THINKING Explain whether or not it is geometrically reasonable
to put up the new fence with the given budget.
★ Challenge SOLVING EQUATIONS Solve the equation. If there is no solution, write no
solution. If the equation is an identity, write all real numbers.
51. 5(x º 4) = 5x + 12 52. 3(x + 5) = 3x + 15

EXTRA CHALLENGE 53. 7x + 14 º 3x = 4x + 14 54. 11x º 3 + 2x = 6(x + 4) + 7x

www.mcdougallittell.com 55. º2(4 º 3x) + 7 = º2x + 6 + 8x 56. 5(2 º x) = 3 º 2x + 7 º 3x

MIXED REVIEW
GEOMETRY CONNECTION Find the area of the figure. (Skills Review, p. 914)
57. Circle with radius 5 inches 58. Square with side 4 inches
59. Circle with radius 7 inches 60. Square with side 9 inches

EVALUATING EXPRESSIONS Evaluate the expression. (Review 1.2 for 1.4)

61. 24 º (9 + 7) 62. º16 + 3(8 º 4)
2
63. º3 + 6(1 º 3) 64. 2(3 º 5)3 + 4(º4 + 7)
65. 2x + 3 when x = 4 66. 8(x º 2) + 3x when x = 6
67. 5x º 7 + 2x when x = º3 68. 6x º 3(2x + 4) when x = 5

SIMPLIFYING EXPRESSIONS Simplify the expression. (Review 1.2)

69. 3(7 + x) º 8x 70. 2(8 + x) + 2x º x
71. 4x º (6 º 3x) 72. 2x º 3(4x + 7)
73. 3(x + 9) + 2(4 º x) 74. º4(x º 3) º 2(x + 7)
2 2
75. 2(x + 2) º x + x + 7 76. 2(x2 º 81) º 3x2
77. x2 º 5x + 3(x2 + 7x) 78. 4x2 º 2(x2 º 3x) + 6x + 8

24 Chapter 1 Equations and Inequalities