Math experts...help me with this algebra problem, please???

[4kids4me]

It's so easy and I have no idea where "we" are going wrong:

 

2x-6

-14x+42

 

after some redistributing we get:

 

2(x-3)

2*7(-x+3)

 

so then the way we're doing it we get:

 

x-3

7(-x+3)

 

but the answer is:

 

-1

7

 

(the minus sign is in front of the whole answer)

 

So I'm figuring there's a way to change the positive and negative three to cancel it out, but I have no idea how.

 

If it helps we're using TT Algebra book.

 

Thanks!

[JenneinCA]

if you start with (2x-6)/(-14x+42)

 

then (2x-6)/(-7)(2x-6)

 

then cancel the (2x-6) on the top and bottom

 

1/(-7)

 

or -1/7

 

To move the negative sign from the top to the bottom (or bottom to top) multiply the top and bottom by negative one. So (-1)/(-1)

[4kids4me]

-x+3 factors to (-1)(x-3)

 

Yes, this is what I was missing...it's another redistribution, which makes me think it should have been part of the first redistribution!

 

Thanks...and thanks to the other poster!

[bettyandbob]

(2x - 6) / (-14x + 42)

 

[2(x - 3)] / [(-14)(x) + (-14)(-3)]; it's all in the factoring. you can factor the denominator so that it has the group (x - 3) by choosing the factors of 52 to be (-3)(-14).

 

[2( x -3 )] / [(-14)(x - 3)]

 

2 / -14

 

1 / -7

[4kids4me]

if you start with (2x-6)/(-14x+42)

 

then (2x-6)/(-7)(2x-6)

 

then cancel the (2x-6) on the top and bottom

 

1/(-7)

 

or -1/7

 

To move the negative sign from the top to the bottom (or bottom to top) multiply the top and bottom by negative one. So (-1)/(-1)

 

This would have been way easier. *We're* being taught that you have to expand the whole thing and redistribute as much as possible, but this would make way more sense!