How do you solve (6x) /(x+4) + 4 = (2x + 2) /(x - 1)?

1 Answer
May 28, 2018

x=-1 1/2 vv x=2

Explanation:

Information

In equations, you are allowed to perform operations on both sides. In order to get rid of denominators, you can multiply by the denominator on both sides. Since a number divided by itself is 1, except for 0, this removes the fraction and leaves the numerator.

The product-sum method can be used to find values of x when the equation is shaped like x^2+bx+c=0.
If you find two values whose sum is b and whose product is c, you can find x because
x^2 + ("value1")x + ("value2")x + ("value1")("value2")=0

(x+"value1")(x+"value2")=0

x+"value1"=0 vv x+"value2"=0.

Note that you can use the quadratic formula in all cases where the product-sum method is applicable, but it is much faster in a lot of cases to use this.

Calculation

(6x)/(x+4)+4=(2x+2)/(x-1)

Multiply both sides by x+4 to get rid of the denominator on the left side.

6x+4(x+4)=(2x+2)/(x-1)(x+4)

10x+16=(2x+2)/(x-1)(x+4)

Multiply both sides by x-1 to do the same for the right side.

(10x+16)(x-1)=(2x+2)(x+4)

10x^2-10x+16x-16=2x^2+8x+2x+8

10x^2+6x-16=2x^2+10x+8

Make the right side equal to 0 by subtracting everything on the right side from both sides.

8x^2-4x-24=0

Divide both sides by 8.

x^2-1/2x-3=0

Use the product-sum method to find x.

The numbers 1 1/2 and -2 work, because

1 1/2+(-2)=-1/2=b and

1 1/2*-2=-3=c

So,

(x+1 1/2)(x-2)=0

x+1 1/2=0 vv x-2=0

x=-1 1/2 vv x=2

Neither of these values makes a division by zero when filled back into the equation, so they're both valid.