Maths help again sorry.

[Polkadotpjs]

Can you help with 2a?
Trying to set up a Skype tutor session but my son is overwhelmed with all the work he’s been sent, nearly into tears and so if anyone can help and explain it that would be great. Thank you

Tell him to swap the left and right hand sides to see if that makes it easier for him to work out?
It should then read
30x - 8 = 18x + 36
(Hint: he then need to take away 18x)

Fuck. Started to type a reply & realised I’d completely misread the question! See mini Polka, grownups muddle too! Pick up and start again.
Use a clean big bit of paper so you can spread your working out out?

6(3x + 2) = 4(5x-2)

Expand brackets on both sides

18x + 12 = 20x - 8
Add 8 to both sides

18x +12 = 20x

Take 18x away from both sides

12 = 2x

Divide both sides by 2

6 = x

Does that make sense?

Oops I made a mistake!

6(3x + 2) = 4(5x-2)

Expand brackets on both sides

18x + 12 = 20x - 8
Add 8 to both sides

18x + 20 = 20x

Take 18x away from both sides

20 = 2x

Divide both sides by 2

10 = x

He’s made a good start.
Next, he needs to collect the x’s on one side and the numbers on the other...

18x + 36 = 20x - 8
The right hand side has more x’s. Subtract 18x from each side to eliminate x on the left hand side...

36 = 2x - 8

Now you need only x on the right hand side. To get rid of the -8, add 8 to each side.

44 = 2x

Then divide both sides by two because you need x not 2x

X = 22

So far we have 3 different values for x - good work.

Loads of errors on the previous posts!

@mineofuselessinformation it’s 20x not 30x
@CrumbsThatsQuick you’ve copied the question wrong!

As @PurpleDaisies said above

PurpleDaisies is right

@PurpleDaisies is correct. If you ever need to check then plug x back into the original equation

X = 22
6(3x + 6) = 4(5x-2)
6(66+6) = 4(110-2)
6(72) = 4(108)
432=432

Ah! Collect numbers on one side and x on the other!!! That’s how I need to explain it. I could do it but couldn’t tell him how or why!!!!
Thanks so much Again

It’s so long since I’ve done equations like these, but it’s like riding a bike: you really never forget! I automatically made to expand the brackets in same way as previous posters.

Photomath app is also pretty good if your maths skills are rusty

@Piglet89 yes it’s just that bi can do them but didn’t know how to explain what I was doing!