I need some algebra help, specifically on literal equations.

You know, we can’t give you homework answers on Fluther. Go ask your teacher. :-)

Val,
I found this
http://www.purplemath.com/modules/solvelit.htm

It kind of looks like your task is to isolate certain variables. Like in the first one, is the answer supposed to be what you need to do to isolate the y? Dividing yb by b obviously would yield just y and then the other side would become x + a all divided by y. In the second one, subtracting ab from each side isolates the variable c.

In both cases you are only giving us the equation and the answer without any directions. What are the questions???

NOTICE I DIDN’T EMAIL YOU RAREBEAR??!!! It didn’t even occur to me to email you!
I’ll go look at the link, but what I really want to see are the steps, step by step. Like this, when solving 2 step algebra:

56x + 10 = 90
56x +10 – 10 = 90 – 10
56x = 80
56x / 56 = 80 / 56.
x= 1
(I hope I didn’t mangle that example too badly. I just made it up as I went along.)

@lilikoi I can see where they’re getting rid of things, I understand that, but some things seem to just be disappearing without explanation, like the c in the second one.

Also, what do you mean, directions? You’re just supposed to solve the problem, like 1+1=? Or…am I missing something.

@Rarebear Actually…nice link! I sent it to work. I stiddy on it. Thank you.

I’m kind of confused. Are you isolating certain variables?

Also, that problem that you just wrote is wrong. x wouldn’t equal 1, it would equal 10/7

@Val123 There is no numerical solution to an equation like xa + b = yb unless you assign values to some of the variables. If all you’re given is that equation, all you can do is rearrange it, and you could do that in a number of different ways. There must be some directions accompanying the equations…What are you trying to solve for?

@lilikoi You’re supposed to solve for a particular variable.

Val, if you want to fax me the sheet at work, I can take a look at it.

Yeah it would help to know which ones. You can infer it based on knowing the solution. But there are no skipped steps between the problem given and the solution given. Each problem only requires ONE step to isolate the variables per the solutions given, and the solutions given clearly include that step as part of the solution. I don’t understand what the misunderstanding / question is here.

@Parrappa Thanks for that correction. I just flew through it.

@lilikoi I know there is no numerical solution, obviously, but there is a logical solution….yes, as you said, isolate certain variables. If you tell me that somewhere in the problem they specify which variable to isolate, that will make a LOT more sense…I don’t have it here. I just cut and pasted the problems…. reading what you just posted…yeah. It’s probably me making things a lot harder than they need to be….I’ll look at it with a clearer head tomorrow. Maybe I’ll cut and past the whole dang lesson for you!

@Rarebear I’ll email you tomorrow…..

Usually the problem is written as it is in the link that @Rarebear provided. For example “Solve EQUATION for b.” means rearrange the equation to isolate variable b on one side of the equation.

On your first one:

x + a = yb

If you’re trying to solve for y, divide both sides by b. Therefore you get

(x + a) / b = yb/b = y

Is that what they are asking for? It just seems impossible to do anything with just the equations and no other direction. If no direction is given, how are you supposed to know what to do with the equation?

In the second one:

ab + c = 5

It looks from the answer that they are isolating c. Therefore, ab is subtracted from both sides to yield:

ab – ab + c = 5 – ab

Which can be reduced to

c = 5 – ab

This is equivalent to the original equation of ab + c = 5. You simply moved the ab from one side of the equation to the other.

@lilikoi I think you got it. It just clicked for me. You know, it would help IF I READ THE DETAILS GIVEN IN THE DIRECTIONS!!!!! Geez @Val123. When are you gonna learn.

Thanks so very much guys.

Are they asking “what is the next step?”

@roundsquare I got it. @lilikoi was spot on. I (DUH) wasn’t reading the whole question…well, even if I had I probably wouldn’t have understood what “Find for C” meant. Thanks all. Twas a piece of cake!!

Stay tuned…..more questions coming up!

Can we let this be a lesson? This is the second or third time recently we’ve had someone put some equations up and ask for help.

Please, please, please, put the whole question, including all the instructions. We won’t give answers, but we can give hints if we know what the question is.

@roundsquare Val is a teacher, she’s not a student. She just has been out of teaching for many years and is rusty on her math.

@Rarebear Whoops, my bad. I guess I didn’t interpret the smiley face at the end of your first post correctly.

@roundsquare No worries. Val and I have known each other for a few years now and we have a long and glorious history of giving each other shit.

@Rarebear I don’t know you. And I’m STILL puzzling over that 45 and 46 stuff. I think I’m closing in on it though. Just now. Drawing squares as I’m typing this. On top of that I learned / taught something else today that I don’t know what it is, but it was a eureka moment when I untangled it!

@roundsquare Yeah…the very problem was that I didn’t even READ the whole question. Or didn’t understand what they were asking. I’m learning so much, so fast, it hurts my head.

@Val123 Okay fine, we haven’t actually MET, but we know each other online.

LOL!! WE KNOW EACH OTHER, PERIOD!!! I was bein’ snarky! I’m not ashamed to admit that you’re my friend, as long as no one finds out!

@Val123 Good thing I’m not reading this thread.

@roundsquare LOL!! Don’t tell anyone!!!