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Description:

ACT Math: Pre-Algebra Drill 7, Problem 3. Solve for x.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:03

Do you hear the people shmoop...shmooping the math of angry men...

00:08

Solve for x: 2 times the quantity 3x plus 2x minus 5 minus the quantity 6x plus 1 equals 1.

00:14

And here are the potential answers...

00:21

OK so what is this question asking?

00:27

It's just a big fat distribution and simplification problem.

00:30

Let's start by dieting down the parentheses with respect to our friend Mr. PEMDAS.

00:37

Multiply across the 2 here and we get 2 times 3x is 6x.

00:41

2 times 2x is 4x and 2 times negative 5 is negative 10...

00:47

...then just keep going to get rid of the 2nd set of parentheses by allocating the negative

00:51

sign to get negative 6x minus 1.

00:54

And the rewritten problem looks like this:

00:58

Now we just combine terms. The 6x's cancel each other out, so just cross 'em off... and

01:02

we have 4x minus 11 equals 1.

01:04

Add 11 to both sides and we have 4x equals 12. Divide both sides by 4 and we have x equals...3.

01:12

Answer: D.

01:13

As in, 'Diet shakes.'

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