Hi all.

I’m looking for some basic algebra help with my kids homework. Maths is not my strong point.

How do you simplify 5x
— - x
2

5x over 2 take away x

Thanks Clarets

Can’t get it to look right on the message board but you get the idea...

5x/2 = 2.5x
2.5x - x = 1.5x

The answer to the first one is 6x

Can you have half numbers as the multiplier ?

Down_Rover wrote:The answer to the first one is 6x

Can you explain ?

Well, thats another day thats passed and I "Still" haven't used Algebra.

Down_Rover wrote:The answer to the first one is 6x

How on earth did you get that answer?

5x/2-x = 1.5x

Is that 5x/2 -x?

as per previous post that's the same as 2.5x- 1x the same as 1.5x or 3x/2

There may be a desired methodology though- say putting the whole thing over 2; so you have 5x/2 -2x/2 = (5x-2x)/2 = 3x/2.

Awesome. Thanks. I think I understand now.

pushpinpussy wrote:Well, thats another day thats passed and I "Still" haven't used Algebra.

You should force yourself.

Algebra is really useful when hanging pictures across a wall & you want equal spacing; plenty of other DIY applications too.

LeadBelly wrote:Algebra is really useful when hanging pictures across a wall & you want equal spacing; plenty of other DIY applications too.

Rack of eye every time.

Fenwick wrote:Rack of eye every time.

And a twist o t'gob.

Obviously

I was useless at Maths at school, all I learnt was 9 x 9 = 99.

Longsidebovril wrote:Can you explain ?

On my screen it says 5x - - x

So the answer is 6x

Must be a formatting thing if you see it differently

Substituting numbers for x it appears the whole is 1.5x

5x2/2-2= 10/2-2= 5-2=3. 3 is 2x1.5
5x3/2-3= 15/2-2= 7.5-3=4.5. 4.5 is 3x1.5
5x4/2-4= 20/2-4= 10-4=6. 6 is 4x1.5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqZo07Ot-uA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

One more.

X squared minus x squared over 2.

that's basically x sq minus half x squared = half x squared (xsq/2) (something less half of itself always leaves half of itself- same for x squared)

5x/2-x = 3x/2

Right?

Edit to add: my reasoning is that after you've halved something, anything you subtract is equal to 2 times whatever you're subtracting before you halved it. So i think that's the simplification.

You might find this useful:

https://www.symbolab.com/solver/equatio ... D%7B2%7D-x" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It's taken me a long time and I was useless at maths. But can now double my money as soon as I draw it from a bank machine...

Waste of time

Thanks for the help. It’s slowly coming back to me

Remember Pythagoras.

I used this as a groundsman to make ninety degree corners, such as you'd get on a football pitch, but for setting out most sports including running tracks. We called it '3, 4, 5'. Any triangle with the ratios 3, 4, 5 (say 30 metres x 40 m x 50m) had a right angled triangle opposite the 5 side. We would put a length of string along one side and then place a pin (I used screw drivers) where the corner would be, then measure 40m from the corner pin along the string and put a second pin in there. Then I attached two tape measures, one to the corner pin, the other to the other pin. From the corner pin I'd run out 30m, and from the other pin 50m. Where they met I would put in a third pin. Then run a string from the corner pin through the third pin and you have a right angle. All because of Pythagoras's Theorem.

(For a right angled triangle, the square on the hypotenuse (which means the longest side) is equal to the sum (sum means 'add up') of the squares on the other two sides. 3x3=9, 4x4=16; 9+16=25; 5x5=25)

Longsidebovril wrote:Thanks for the help. It’s slowly coming back to me

Can probably model your rate of recall by:

R =(t + 2)^n
Where R is your memory recall, t is time, 2 a factor based on number of times you pose an algebra question on clarets forum and n is exponent governed by how quickly you learn.