help!

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doodle
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help!

Post by doodle »

Its been a while since I solved equations. Anyways, Im trying to help a neighbors kid with math and this problem came up which I got stuck on...I need to solve for n. If you could show the process to the answer that would be great.

18.5(10-n)/n=18.5
All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone. - Blaise Pascal
SteveGo
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Re: help!

Post by SteveGo »

Given:
18.5 (10-n) / n = 18.5

Divide both sides by 18.5:
(10-n) / n = 1

Multiply both sides by n:
(10-n) = n

Add n to both sides:
10 = n+n, or
10 = 2 * n

Divide both sides by 2:
5 = n
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doodle
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Re: help!

Post by doodle »

Thanks!!
All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone. - Blaise Pascal
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dualstow
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Re: help!

Post by dualstow »

If your subject line had read "algebra", I would have looked sooner.
I got the same answer via a different route:

18.5(10-n)/n=18.5
(185-18.5)/n=18.5
185/n-18.5=18.5
185/n=18.5+18.5=37
n = 185/37 = 5
RIP BRIAN WILSON
Gumby
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Re: help!

Post by Gumby »

You can literally copy and paste formulas like that into WolframAlpha:

http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=18 ... 2Fn%3D18.5
Nothing I say should be construed as advice or expertise. I am only sharing opinions which may or may not be applicable in any given case.
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dualstow
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Re: help!

Post by dualstow »

Wow! I haven't visited that site in a very long time. Nice!

EDIT: http://www.wolframalpha.com/input/?i=wh ... y+money%3F
Last edited by dualstow on Wed Oct 02, 2013 5:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
RIP BRIAN WILSON
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