Expert: Josh - 9/27/2005

Question
Every time I do this problem I come up with 11/9.
My answer book tells me I should be getting 11/3.
I've done the equation in the correct order very carefully but I still come up with the wrong answer. Is my answer book wrong?
Algebra problem:
x/2 - (3+x)/4 = 1/6

Thank you for your time!

Answer
Hello E Kantner,

Solving x/2 - (3+x)/4 = 1/6 is equivalent to solving
6x/12 - 3(3+x)/12 = 2/12
...all i've done is multiplying the first term by 6/6, second term by 3/3, third term by 2/2; this allows me to write everything over a common denominator
...next, multiply throughout by 12. we get
6x - 3(3+x) = 2
...expand second term (watch out for the negative sign)
6x - 9-3x = 2
....next collect the "unknowns" on one side, write the "knowns" on the opposite side of the equation
6x-3x = 2+9
3x = 11

Final answer is x=11/3.

I hope you see where things went wrong.

Cheers.