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Here it is. None of us can figure out how the answer was obtained.

 

Literal equation. Solving for a variable:

 

ax = a + 2, solve for a

 

And the answer is a = 2/ x-1 [read: "a equals 2 over x minus 1"]

 

For you Math-U-See users, can you tell me where in the book this might be? (I've pulled this question from another site). Or, Lial's Basic College Math? Is there a section that explains how to do this? Thanks!

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Here it is. None of us can figure out how the answer was obtained.

 

Literal equation. Solving for a variable:

 

ax = a + 2, solve for a

 

And the answer is a = 2/ x-1 [read: "a equals 2 over x minus 1"]

 

For you Math-U-See users, can you tell me where in the book this might be? (I've pulled this question from another site). Or, Lial's Basic College Math? Is there a section that explains how to do this? Thanks!

 

Gather your "a's" on one side of the equation: ax - a = 2

Then factor out the "a's": a(x-1) = 2

Then divide both sides by (x-1): a(x-1)/(x-1) = 2/(x-1)

Cancel (x-1) on the left because it equals "1": a = 2/(x-1)

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