How would you solve #(x)/(2)+(x)/(3)=(5x+2)/(6)#? The hint given was multiply everything by 6.

When I multiplied by 6, the result was the 2 left over. Help?

1 Answer
Mar 8, 2018

This equation has #"no solution"#

Explanation:

You can clear the fractions by multiplying every term by #6# and letting the denominators cancel.

Once you get rid of the denominators by canceling them, you should have a nice, easy problem to solve.

#(x)/(2)+(x)/(3) =(5x+2)/(6)#    Solve for #x#

1) Get rid of the fractions by multiplying every term on both sides by #6# and letting the denominators cancel

#cancel ((6))(x)/ cancel(2)+ cancel((6))(x)/cancel (3) =(cancel6)(5x+2)/cancel(6)#

2) After you cancel the denominators with the #6'#s, you will get this:

#3x + 2x = 5x + 2#

#Oh  oh!#

The equation says
#5x = 5x + 2#

That simplifies to
#0 = 2#

But this is a false statement.
#0# does not equal #2#

So therefore there is #"no solution"#

Answer
There is no solution to this problem

You can read a little more about problems like this here:
http://www.charleston.k12.il.us/cms/Teachers/math/PreAlgebra/paunit5/L5-4.PDF