Can you solve this simple algebra problem?
I wonder how many high school students could solve this. The answer is so simple that it seems that it should be intuitive, but I can’t solve it without doing a little bit of basic algebra.
x = 10(y-x). Solve for y in terms of (y – x).
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I could not do it in my head. I had to use simple algebra.
Loli, you are very close. Substitute for x in your equation to get y in terms of y-x.
Then I do not understand what “solve for y in terms of y-x” means.
I love the smell of Algebra in the morning. It smells like victory.
I still do not know what that means.
x=10(y-x) expresses x in terms of y-x. x is 10 times greater than the quantity (y-x). If we designate y-x as d then we can say that x =10d. There is a similar equation that gives y in terms of (y-x).
Is that what you are looking for?
x=10(y-x)
x=10y-10x
x=y+9y-10x
0=y+9y-9x
y=9y-9x
y=9(y-x)
Hang on, no, that’s wrong.
How about this:
x=10(y-x)
x=10y-10x
x=y+9y-10x
0=y+9y-11x
y=9y-11x
y=9y-9x-2x
y+2x=9(y-x)
y=9(y-x)+2x
Your original was very close: y=x/10 + x. Substitute 10(y-x) for the two x values.
Another approach starts out y= x + (y-x). Do you see how a single substitution gives us what we want?
If I substitute the x, I end up with
x=10(y-x)
10(y-x)=10(y-(10(y-x)))
y-x=y-10y-10x
y-x=-9y-10x
y=-9y-9x
y=-9(y+x)
your second one instantly resolves to y=y
y = x + (y-x) = 10(y-x) + (y-x) = 11(y-x)
From your original, y =x/10 + x = 10(y-x)/10 + 10(y-x) = 11(y-x)
I would tend to prefer to solve for y in terms of x:
x = 10(y-x)
x/10 = y – x
y = x/10 + x
y = 1.1x
But in terms of (y – x), I think it is asking us to do something like:
x = 10(y – x)
y = 10(y – x) + y – x
y = 11(y – x)
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