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91Ó°ÊÓ

Solve each equation. $$-\frac{3}{7} x=4$$

Short Answer

Expert verified
x = -\frac{28}{3}

Step by step solution

01

- Isolate the variable

To solve for the variable, we need to isolate it on one side of the equation. The given equation is \(-\frac{3}{7} x = 4\). To isolate \(x\), we'll multiply both sides of the equation by the reciprocal of \(-\frac{3}{7}\), which is \(-\frac{7}{3}\).
02

- Multiply both sides by the reciprocal

Multiply both sides of the equation by \(-\frac{7}{3}\):\(-\frac{3}{7} x \times -\frac{7}{3} = 4 \times -\frac{7}{3}\).\This simplifies to: \(x = -\frac{28}{3}\).
03

- Simplify the solution

Now, simplify if necessary. In this case, \(x = -\frac{28}{3}\) is already in its simplest form.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Reciprocals
Understanding reciprocals is crucial when solving linear equations, especially when dealing with fractions. A reciprocal of a number is essentially what you multiply that number by to get 1. For example, the reciprocal of \(\frac{3}{7}\) is \(\frac{7}{3}\).
Let's see why:
  • When you multiply \(\frac{3}{7}\) and \(\frac{7}{3}\), the numerator of one fraction cancels out the denominator of the other, giving you 1: \[\frac{3}{7} \times \frac{7}{3} = 1\]
This rule helps a lot when you want to isolate a variable multiplied by a fraction.
Isolation of Variables
Isolation of variables is the process of getting the variable on one side of the equation by itself.
In the equation \-\frac{3}{7} x = 4\, we need to isolate \(x\).
To do this, follow these steps:
  • Recognize that \(x\) is being multiplied by \-\frac{3}{7}\.
  • The best way to undo this multiplication is by using its reciprocal, which will help us make the coefficient of \(x\) equal to 1.
Multiplying both sides by \-\frac{7}{3}\ allows us to cancel out the fraction on the left side:
\[ -\frac{3}{7} x \times -\frac{7}{3} = 4 \times -\frac{7}{3} \] Simplifying this gives us \(x = -\frac{28}{3}\).
This is a very efficient method for isolating variables in equations involving fractions.
Multiplication of Fractions
Multiplying fractions is a fundamental skill needed to solve equations like \-\frac{3}{7} x = 4\.
Here’s a quick refresher: When multiplying fractions, multiply the numerators together and the denominators together. For example:
  • \[ \frac{a}{b} \times \frac{c}{d} = \frac{a \times c}{b \times d} \]
Applying this to our problem, we need to multiply both sides of the equation by the reciprocal of \-\frac{3}{7}\, which is \-\frac{7}{3}\:
  • \[ -\frac{3}{7} x \times -\frac{7}{3} = 4 \times -\frac{7}{3} \]
On the left side, the numerators and denominators cancel each other out, leaving us with 1\(x\):
\[ x = -\frac{28}{3} \] Remember these multiply-and-cancel steps as they help to deal with fractions across many algebra problems.

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