How do you multiply $1/8+2/x=17/(8x)$ ?

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Answer 1 · 2015-05-14T20:00:40

There is nothing here to multiply.

Perhaps the question is about cross multiplying.

In order to cross multiply, we need to have a fraction equal to a fraction. So we'll need to get a single fraction on the left.

To get a single fraction on the left, we will need a common denominator, so we want:

$1/8+2/x=17/(8x)$

$1/8*x/x +2/x*8/8=17/(8x)$

$x/(8x)+16/(8x)=17/(8x)$

$(x+16)/(8x)=17/(8x)$

Now we can crossmultiply to get:

$8x(x+16)=8x(17)$

$8x^2+128x=136x$

$8x^2+128x-136x=0$

$8x^2-8x=0$

$8x(x-1)=0$

$x=0$ is not possible in the original equation (It is an extraneous solution).

$x-1=0$ gives the solution $x=1$

How do you multiply 1/8+2/x=17/(8x)1/8+2/x=17/(8x)?