Subtract 2 from both sides of the equation to get the term with the variable by itself.

[latex] \displaystyle \begin{array}{r}3y+2\,\,\,=\,\,11\\\underline{\,\,\,\,\,\,\,-2\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,-2}\\3y\,\,\,\,=\,\,\,\,\,9\end{array}[/latex]

Divide both sides of the equation by 3 to get a coefficient of 1 for the variable.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}\,\,\,\,\,\,\underline{3y}\,\,\,\,=\,\,\,\,\,\underline{9}\\3\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,9\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,y\,\,\,\,=\,\,\,\,3\end{array}[/latex]

Answer

[latex]y=3[/latex]

There are three like terms [latex]3x[/latex], [latex]5x[/latex], and [latex]–x[/latex] involving a variable. Combine these like terms. 4 and 7 are also like terms and can be added.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}\,\,3x+5x+4-x+7=\,\,\,88\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,7x+4+7=\,\,\,88\end{array}[/latex]

The equation is now in the form [latex]ax+b=c[/latex], so we can solve as before.

[latex]7x+11\,\,\,=\,\,\,88[/latex]

Subtract 11 from both sides.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}7x+11\,\,\,=\,\,\,88\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\underline{-11\,\,\,\,\,\,\,-11}\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,7x\,\,\,=\,\,\,77\end{array}[/latex]

Divide both sides by 7.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\underline{7x}\,\,\,=\,\,\,\underline{77}\\7\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,7\,\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,x\,\,\,=\,\,\,11\end{array}[/latex]

Answer

[latex]x=11[/latex]

Write the two equations that will give an absolute value of 26.

[latex] \displaystyle 2p-4=26\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\text{or}\,\,\,\,\,\,2p-4=\,-26[/latex]

Solve each equation for p by isolating the variable.

[latex] \displaystyle \begin{array}{r}2p-4=26\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,2p-4=\,-26\\\underline{\,\,\,\,\,\,+4\,\,\,\,+4}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\underline{\,\,\,\,\,\,\,+4\,\,\,\,\,\,\,+4}\\\underline{2p}\,\,\,\,\,\,=\underline{30}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\underline{2p}\,\,\,\,\,=\,\underline{-22}\\2\,\,\,\,\,\,\,=\,2\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,2\,\,\,\,\,\,\,=\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,2\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,p=15\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\text{or}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,p=\,-11\end{array}[/latex]

Check the solutions in the original equation.

[latex] \displaystyle \begin{array}{r}\,\,\,\,\,\left| 2p-4 \right|=26\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\left| 2p-4 \right|=26\\\left| 2(15)-4 \right|=26\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\left| 2(-11)-4 \right|=26\\\,\,\,\,\,\left| 30-4 \right|=26\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\left| -22-4 \right|=26\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\left| 26 \right|=26\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\left| -26 \right|=26\end{array}[/latex]

Both solutions check!

Answer

[latex]p=15[/latex] or [latex]p=-11[/latex]

Isolate the term with the absolute value by adding 5 to both sides.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}3\left|4w-1\right|-5=10\\\underline{\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,+5\,\,\,+5}\\ 3\left|4w-1\right|=15\end{array}[/latex]

Divide both sides by 3. Now the absolute value is isolated.

[latex]\begin{array}{r} \underline{3\left|4w-1\right|}=\underline{15}\\3\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,3\,\,\\\left|4w-1\right|=\,\,5\end{array}[/latex]

Write the two equations that will give an absolute value of 5 and solve them.

[latex] \displaystyle \begin{array}{r}4w-1=5\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\text{or}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,4w-1=-5\\\underline{\,\,\,\,\,\,\,+1\,\,+1}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\underline{\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,+1\,\,\,\,\,+1}\\\,\,\,\,\,\underline{4w}=\underline{6}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\underline{4w}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,=\underline{-4}\\4\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,4\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,4\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,4\,\,\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,w=\frac{3}{2}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,w=-1\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,w=\frac{3}{2}\,\,\,\,\,\text{or}\,\,\,\,\,-1\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\end{array}[/latex]

Check the solutions in the original equation.

[latex] \displaystyle \begin{array}{r}\,\,\,\,\,3\left| 4w-1\, \right|-5=10\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,3\left| 4w-1\, \right|-5=10\\\\3\left| 4\left( \frac{3}{2} \right)-1\, \right|-5=10\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,3\left| 4w-1\, \right|-5=10\\\\\,\,\,\,\,\,3\left| \frac{12}{2}-1\, \right|-5=10\,\,\,\,\,\,\,3\left| 4(-1)-1\, \right|-5=10\\\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,3\left| 6-1\, \right|-5=10\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,3\left| -4-1\, \right|-5=10\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,3\left(5\right)-5=10\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,3\left| -5 \right|-5=10\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,15-5=10\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,15-5=10\\10=10\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,10=10\end{array}[/latex]

Both solutions check!

Answer

[latex]w=-1\,\,\,\,\text{or}\,\,\,\,w=\frac{3}{2}[/latex]

Apply the distributive property to expand [latex]4\left(2a+3\right)[/latex] to [latex]8a+12[/latex]

[latex]\begin{array}{r}4\left(2a+3\right)=28\\ 8a+12=28\end{array}[/latex]

Subtract 12 from both sides to isolate the variable term.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}8a+12\,\,\,=\,\,\,28\\ \underline{-12\,\,\,\,\,\,-12}\\ 8a\,\,\,=\,\,\,16\end{array}[/latex]

Divide both terms by 8 to get a coefficient of 1.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}\underline{8a}=\underline{16}\\8\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,8\\a\,=\,\,2\end{array}[/latex]

Answer

[latex]a=2[/latex]

Apply the distributive property to expand [latex]2\left(4t-5\right)[/latex] to [latex]8t-10[/latex] and [latex]-3\left(2t+1\right)[/latex] to[latex]-6t-3[/latex]. Be careful in this step—you are distributing a negative number, so keep track of the sign of each number after you multiply.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}2\left(4t-5\right)=-3\left(2t+1\right)\,\,\,\,\,\, \\ 8t-10=-6t-3\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\end{array}[/latex]

Add [latex]-6t[/latex] to both sides to begin combining like terms.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}8t-10=-6t-3\\ \underline{+6t\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,+6t}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\\ 14t-10=\,\,\,\,-3\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\end{array}[/latex]

Add 10 to both sides of the equation to isolate t.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}14t-10=-3\\ \underline{+10\,\,\,+10}\\ 14t=\,\,\,7\,\end{array}[/latex]

The last step is to divide both sides by 14 to completely isolate t.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}14t=7\,\,\,\,\\\frac{14t}{14}=\frac{7}{14}\end{array}\\[/latex]

Answer

[latex]t=\frac{1}{2}\\[/latex]

We simplified the fraction [latex]\frac{7}{14}\\[/latex] into [latex]\frac{1}{2}\\[/latex]

Multiply both sides of the equation by 4, the common denominator of the fractional coefficients.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}\frac{1}{2}x-3=2-\frac{3}{4}x\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\\\\ 4\left(\frac{1}{2}x-3\right)=4\left(2-\frac{3}{4}x\right)\end{array}[/latex]

Use the distributive property to expand the expressions on both sides. Multiply.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}4\left(\frac{1}{2}x\right)-4\left(3\right)=4\left(2\right)-4\left(-\frac{3}{4}x\right)\\\\ \frac{4}{2}x-12=8-\frac{12}{4}x\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\, \\\\ 2x-12=8-3x\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\, \end{array}[/latex]

Add 3x to both sides to move the variable terms to only one side. Add 12 to both sides to move the variable terms to only one side.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}2x-12=8-3x\, \\\underline{+3x\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,+3x}\\ 5x-12=8\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\end{array}[/latex]

Add 12 to both sides to move the constant terms to the other side.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}5x-12=8\,\,\\ \underline{\,\,\,\,\,\,+12\,+12} \\5x=20\end{array}[/latex]

Divide to isolate the variable.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}\underline{5x}=\underline{5}\\ 5\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,5\\ x=4\end{array}[/latex]

Answer

[latex]x=4[/latex]

Since the smallest decimal place represented in the equation is 0.10, we want to multiply by 10 to make 1.0 and clear the decimals from the equation.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}3y+10.5=6.5+2.5y\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\\\\ 10\left(3y+10.5\right)=10\left(6.5+2.5y\right)\end{array}[/latex]

Use the distributive property to expand the expressions on both sides.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}10\left(3y\right)+10\left(10.5\right)=10\left(6.5\right)+10\left(2.5y\right)\end{array}\\[/latex]

Multiply.

[latex]30y+105=65+25y[/latex]

Move the smaller variable term, [latex]25y[/latex], by subtracting it from both sides.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}30y+105=65+25y\,\,\\ \underline{-25y\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,-25y} \\5y+105=65\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\end{array}[/latex]

Subtract 105 from both sides to isolate the term with the variable.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}5y+105=65\,\,\,\\ \underline{\,\,\,\,\,\,-105\,-105} \\5y=-40\end{array}[/latex]

Divide both sides by 5 to isolate the y.

[latex]\begin{array}{l}\underline{5y}=\underline{-40}\\ 5\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,5\\ \,\,\,x=-8\end{array}[/latex]

Answer

[latex]x=-8[/latex]

Combine like terms on both sides of the equation.

[latex] \displaystyle \begin{array}{l}12+2x-8=7x+5-5x\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,2x+4=2x+5\end{array}[/latex]

Isolate the x term by subtracting 2x from both sides.

[latex]\begin{array}{l}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,2x+4=2x+5\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\underline{-2x\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,-2x\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,}\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,4= \,5\end{array}[/latex]

This false statement implies there are no solutions to this equation. Sometimes, we say the solution does not exist, or DNE for short.

Combine like terms on both sides of the equation.

[latex] \displaystyle \begin{array}{r}5x+3-4x=3+x\\x+3=3+x\end{array}[/latex]

Isolate the x term by subtracting x from both sides.

[latex]\begin{array}{l}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,x+3=3+x\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\underline{\,-x\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,-x\,}\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,3\,\,=\,\,3\end{array}[/latex]

This true statement implies there are an infinite number of solutions to this equation, or we can also write the solution as “All Real Numbers”

Distribute the 3 through the parentheses on the left-hand side.

[latex] \begin{array}{r}3\left(2x-5\right)=6x-15\\6x-15=6x-15\end{array}[/latex]

Wait! This looks just like the previous example. You have the same expression on both sides of an equal sign.  No matter what number you choose for x, you will have a true statement. We can finish the algebra:

[latex]\begin{array}{l}\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,6x-15=6x-15\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\underline{\,-6x\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,-6x\,}\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,-15\,\,=\,\,-15\end{array}[/latex]

This true statement implies there are an infinite number of solutions to this equation.

Notice absolute value is not alone. Subtract [latex]7[/latex] from each side to isolate the absolute value.

[latex]\begin{array}{r}7+\left|2x-5\right|=4\,\,\,\,\\\underline{\,-7\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,-7\,}\\\left|2x-5\right|=-3\end{array}[/latex]

Result of absolute value is negative! The result of an absolute value must always be positive, so we say there is no solution to this equation, or DNE.

Notice absolute value is not alone, multiply both sides by the reciprocal of [latex]-\frac{1}{2}[/latex], which is [latex]-2[/latex].

[latex]\begin{array}{r}-\frac{1}{2}\left|x+3\right|=6\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\left(-2\right)-\frac{1}{2}\left|x+3\right|=\left(-2\right)6\\\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\,\left|x+3\right|=-12\,\,\,\,\,\end{array}[/latex]

Again, we have a result where an absolute value is negative!

There is no solution to this equation, or DNE.