Balance the Fraction Equation: Solve for X in -1/7 + 3/4x = 1/8x + 3/14

Linear Equations with Mixed Fractions

Solve for X:

17+34x=18x+314 -\frac{1}{7}+\frac{3}{4}x=\frac{1}{8}x+\frac{3}{14}

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Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations
00:00 Find X
00:03 Arrange the equation so that one side has only the unknown X
00:31 Multiply by denominators to find the common denominator
00:45 Collect like terms
00:52 Multiply by the reciprocal to isolate X
01:01 Simplify as much as possible
01:07 And this is the solution to the problem

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution
1

Understand the problem

Solve for X:

17+34x=18x+314 -\frac{1}{7}+\frac{3}{4}x=\frac{1}{8}x+\frac{3}{14}

2

Step-by-step solution

To solve the equation 17+34x=18x+314-\frac{1}{7} + \frac{3}{4}x = \frac{1}{8}x + \frac{3}{14}, we complete the following steps:

Step 1: Isolate the terms involving x x on one side of the equation and the constant terms on the other side.

Start by subtracting 18x\frac{1}{8}x from both sides:

17+34x18x=314-\frac{1}{7} + \frac{3}{4}x - \frac{1}{8}x = \frac{3}{14}

Step 2: Move the constant term 17-\frac{1}{7} to the other side:

34x18x=314+17\frac{3}{4}x - \frac{1}{8}x = \frac{3}{14} + \frac{1}{7}

Step 3: Find a common denominator for combining like terms.

For the left side, convert the fractions with denominators 4 and 8 to a common denominator of 8:

34x=68x\frac{3}{4}x = \frac{6}{8}x

So, 68x18x=58x\frac{6}{8}x - \frac{1}{8}x = \frac{5}{8}x

Now consider the right side by converting the fractions with denominators 14 and 7 to a common denominator of 14:

17=214\frac{1}{7} = \frac{2}{14}

Therefore, 314+214=514\frac{3}{14} + \frac{2}{14} = \frac{5}{14}

Step 4: Equate the simplified terms:

58x=514\frac{5}{8}x = \frac{5}{14}

Step 5: Solve for x x by isolating it using multiplication:

Multiply both sides by 85\frac{8}{5} to clear the fractional coefficient of x x :

x=514×85x = \frac{5}{14} \times \frac{8}{5}

Simplify this expression:

x=5×814×5=814x = \frac{5 \times 8}{14 \times 5} = \frac{8}{14}

Therefore, the solution to the equation is x=814 x = \frac{8}{14} .

3

Final Answer

814 \frac{8}{14}

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic
  • Strategy: Move all x terms to one side, constants to other
  • Technique: Find common denominators: 34x=68x \frac{3}{4}x = \frac{6}{8}x when combining with 18x \frac{1}{8}x
  • Check: Substitute x=814 x = \frac{8}{14} back into original equation to verify both sides equal ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors
  • Adding fractions with different denominators without finding common denominator
    Don't add 34+18 \frac{3}{4} + \frac{1}{8} directly = wrong answer! You can't add fractions with different denominators because they represent different-sized pieces. Always find the LCD first, then convert all fractions to equivalent fractions with that denominator.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

\( -16+a=-17 \)

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why do I need to move all the x terms to one side first?

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Moving all x terms to one side helps you combine like terms and see exactly how many x's you have. This makes it much easier to solve for x in the final step!

How do I find the common denominator when combining fractions with x?

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Look at the denominators of your fraction coefficients. For 34x \frac{3}{4}x and 18x \frac{1}{8}x , the LCD is 8. Convert: 34=68 \frac{3}{4} = \frac{6}{8} , so you get 68x18x=58x \frac{6}{8}x - \frac{1}{8}x = \frac{5}{8}x .

What's the difference between 814 \frac{8}{14} and 47 \frac{4}{7} ?

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They're the same value! 814=47 \frac{8}{14} = \frac{4}{7} because both numerator and denominator can be divided by 2. Both answers are correct, but 47 \frac{4}{7} is in simplest form.

Can I multiply both sides by the LCD to clear all fractions at once?

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Yes! You could multiply everything by 56 (LCD of 7, 4, 8, and 14) to clear all fractions immediately. However, the step-by-step approach shown here often leads to fewer calculation errors.

How do I check if x=814 x = \frac{8}{14} is correct?

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Substitute back into the original equation: 17+34814 -\frac{1}{7} + \frac{3}{4} \cdot \frac{8}{14} should equal 18814+314 \frac{1}{8} \cdot \frac{8}{14} + \frac{3}{14} . If both sides give the same value, you're correct!

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