Math problem -- help/hints please (NOW SOLVED: includes solution)

[Ingo]

Kevin Bewley wrote:

I'm curious about your notation though, what's with the factorial -1?

Oh, that should be a pipe, but I wasn't able to type it in the editor, so it's just the remark, what I did. Forgot to post that :rolleyes:

------------------------------ Author of Primary ROleplaying SysTem How do I take my coffee? Black as midnight on a moonless night. War doesn't determine who's right. War determines who's left.

[Sumal V]

Following your same method, but only changing the brackets to 2x-1, 1(x-4) + 6(-2x+1) = 3(3x-4) multiply out the brackets: x - 4 - 12x + 6 = 9x - 12 which yields: 20x = 14 or x = 7/10

[Jonathan Nethercott]

Other people have pointed this out already (so I'm not going to take the credit for solving this), but trying to stick to your calculations as closely as possible:

(x-4)/6 - 2x+1 = (3x-4)/2

My approach was to find the lcm, which is 6 and then do this:

1(x-4) - 6(2x-1) = 3(3x-4) <-- note 2x-1, not 2x+1 because previous line is -2x + 1, not - (2x + 1)

multiply out the brackets:

x-4 - 12x+6 = 9x-12 <-- from previous line 12x+6, not 12x-6

which yields:
20x = 14
or x = 7/10

Jon CodeWrite

[Dalek Dave]

Piece of paper and a pen!

--------------------------------- I will never again mention that I was the poster of the One Millionth Lounge Post, nor that it was complete drivel. Dalek Dave CCC Link[^]

[cpkilekofp]

You dropped a sign in your third step: (x - 4) / 6 - 2x + 1 = (3x - 4) / 2 (x - 4) - 6(2x + 1) = 3(3x - 4) (x - 4) - 12x + 6 = 3(3x - 4) x - 4 - 12x + 6 = 9x - 12 -11x + 2 = 9x - 12 -20x = -14 x = 7 / 10

"Seize the day" - Horace "It's not what he doesn't know that scares me; it's what he knows for sure that just ain't so!" - Will Rogers, said by him about Herbert Hoover

[cpkilekofp]

LOL, cool, that's the answer I got. Those mangled signs will get you every time.

"Seize the day" - Horace "It's not what he doesn't know that scares me; it's what he knows for sure that just ain't so!" - Will Rogers, said by him about Herbert Hoover

[dan sh]

J4amieC wrote:

excel can solve this much quicker than I can

Have become a manager?

"Fear no factor", Prime Numbers.

[Sumal V]

Well I hope you've found the right answer Kevin..

[Kevin Bewley]

Yes I have - and I learned something about CHECKING the bloody signs!! :-D Thanks guys - I can now confidently move onto the next chapter knowing I'm not missing something critical! This is the first time I've used CodeProject this way and I'm well impressed by the generosity of you guys.. :thumbsup:

[J4amieC]

d@nish wrote:

Have become a manager?

If I had turned into a manager I would be using Project to organise people to document the problem, an architect to design the proper implementation to solve the solution, developers to develop the solution and testers to provide automated testing that the solution fulfils the requirements. A smart person like me just plugged the 2 sides of the equation into a goalseak in Excel and came out with a solution in about 30 seconds.

[dan sh]

I see how cleverly you have omitted all the rant causing things done by managers in your post. :)

"Fear no factor", Prime Numbers.

[Arul R Ece]

x=7/10

[Sumal V]

Hey, the problem is solved already ;)

[Manfred Rudolf Bihy]

You're welcome! :-D

"With sufficient thrust, pigs fly just fine."

Ross Callon, The Twelve Networking Truths, RFC1925

[Sumal V]

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