Solve the Fraction Equation: Find X in 1/2(x+3) - 8x = 3

Question

Solve for X:

12(x+3)8x=3 \frac{1}{2}(x+3)-8x=3

Video Solution

Solution Steps

00:00 Solution
00:04 Open brackets properly, multiply by each factor
00:15 Arrange the equation so that only the unknown X is on one side
00:28 Collect like terms
00:33 Multiply by the reciprocal to isolate X
00:43 Simplify what we can
00:49 Factor 15 into 5 and 3
00:54 Simplify what we can, and substitute
01:00 And this is the solution to the question

Step-by-Step Solution

Let's solve the given equation 12(x+3)8x=3 \frac{1}{2}(x+3) - 8x = 3 .

First, distribute the 12\frac{1}{2} inside the parentheses:
12(x+3)=12x+12×3=12x+32 \frac{1}{2}(x+3) = \frac{1}{2}x + \frac{1}{2} \times 3 = \frac{1}{2}x + \frac{3}{2} .

Substitute back into the original equation:
12x+328x=3 \frac{1}{2}x + \frac{3}{2} - 8x = 3 .

To eliminate the fraction, multiply every term by 2 to simplify:
2×(12x+32)2×8x=2×3 2 \times \left(\frac{1}{2}x + \frac{3}{2}\right) - 2 \times 8x = 2 \times 3 .

After clearing the fraction, the equation becomes:
x+316x=6 x + 3 - 16x = 6 .

Combine like terms involving x x :
x16x+3=6 x - 16x + 3 = 6 simplifies to 15x+3=6 -15x + 3 = 6 .

Isolate x x by subtracting 3 from both sides:
15x=63 -15x = 6 - 3 .
This simplifies to 15x=3 -15x = 3 .

Finally, divide both sides by 15-15 to solve for x x :
x=315 x = \frac{3}{-15} ,
which simplifies to x=15 x = -\frac{1}{5} .

Therefore, the solution to the equation 12(x+3)8x=3 \frac{1}{2}(x+3) - 8x = 3 is x=15 x = -\frac{1}{5} .

Answer

15 -\frac{1}{5}