Solve the equation $7-2 x=19$
Answer (1)
Subtract 7 from both sides: − 2 x = 12 .
Divide both sides by -2: x = − 6 .
The solution to the equation is − 6 .
Explanation
Understanding the Problem We are given the equation 7 − 2 x = 19 and asked to solve for x . Our goal is to isolate x on one side of the equation.
Isolating the x term First, we subtract 7 from both sides of the equation to isolate the term with x : 7 − 2 x − 7 = 19 − 7 − 2 x = 12
Solving for x Next, we divide both sides of the equation by -2 to solve for x :
− 2 − 2 x = − 2 12 x = − 6
Final Answer Therefore, the solution to the equation 7 − 2 x = 19 is x = − 6 .
Examples
In real life, solving linear equations like this can help you determine how many items you need to sell to reach a certain profit goal. For example, if you sell items for $7 each, and you have fixed costs of $19, you can use this equation to find out how many items you need to sell to have a net loss of only $7. In this case, you would need to sell -6 items, which doesn't make sense in the real world, but it shows how the equation works.
