121/23 October 2014 j Sections 3.3 and 3.

4 Pages 148-161
Solving Multi-Step Equtions
Making "Not Two-Steps" into TWO STEPS!!!
For each Multi-Step Equation, we are going to try follow
the same five steps. Sometimes not all of the steps will
apply, but we will still check for all five anyway. Look to
the column for the five steps ...
x ! "#x ! $% & '(
First, use the )istributive *roperty to get ri+ of
the parentheses.
x ! "#x ! $% & '(
x ! "x ! ," & '(
-ow combine any like terms that e.ist on the left si+e of
the equals sign an+ on the right si+e of the equals sign
#notice in this problem, there is only one number on the
right si+e of the equals sign, so there will be no like terms
to combine there%.
x ! "x ! ," & '(
(x ! ," & '(
/ou shoul+ now check to see if you can 0onsoli+ate /our
1ariables, but you only +o that step when there are
variables on both sides of the equals sign. 2he only
variable is on the left si+e, so we3ll skip that step.
245 S2E*666
(x ! ," & '(
7," 7,"
(x & "
8( 8(
2he 9 Steps:
DP - Distributive Propert
!"# - !o$bine "i%e #er$s
!&' - !onso(idate &our 'ariab(es
#S - #)O S#*P+++
DP so you can !"# right
before you !&' to get a
#S+
Like 2erms:
,% ;ave the Same Variable
Part
'x an+ <x are like terms
an+ ,= are like terms
'x an+ 9 are -52 like terms
x an+ ,=x are -52 like terms
"% ;ave the Same Exponent
'x
"
an+ <x
"
are like terms
,= an+ ,< are like terms
'x
"
an+ 9x are -52 like terms
x
"
an+ 'x
"
are -52 like terms
x & '
'x ! "#x 7 % & ,<#, 7 "x% 7 ,=
DP
'x ! "#x 7 % & ,<#, 7 "x% 7 ,=
'x ! "x 7 ,< & ,< 7 ">x 7 ,=
!"#
'x ! "x 7 ,< & ,< 7 ">x 7 ,=
9x 7 ,< & < 7 ">x
!&'
9x 7 ,< & < 7 ">x
!">x !">x
''x 7 ,< & <
#S+++
''x 7 ,< & <
!,< !,<
''x & ,>
8'' 8''
x &
,>
''
&
$
,,
4hen Consolidating
Variables, ? always like to
a++@subtract the smaller of
the two. ?n this case, we
have 9x an+ 7">x ...
7">x is the smaller one, so
?3ll a++ it to both si+es.

x &
$
,,