Algebra · real student question

Solve for x: 32.63x + 4.545 = 10.

Question

Solve for xx:

32.63x+4.545=1032.63x+4.545=10

Step-by-step solution

  1. Plan the two operations in the right order. The variable is first multiplied by 32.6332.63 and then has 4.5454.545 added. Undoing works in reverse: subtract the constant, then divide by the coefficient. Dividing first would force distributing the division over both terms and invites mistakes.

  2. Subtract 4.545 from both sides.

    32.63x=104.545=5.45532.63x=10-4.545=5.455

    Aligning the decimal points matters here: 10.0004.545=5.45510.000-4.545=5.455.

  3. Estimate the answer before dividing. 5.4555.455 is roughly one sixth of 32.6332.63, so expect x0.17x\approx0.17. Any result near 11 or near 0.020.02 would signal a misplaced decimal.

  4. Divide both sides by 32.63.

    x=5.45532.63=545532630=10916526x=\frac{5.455}{32.63}=\frac{5455}{32630}=\frac{1091}{6526}

    Multiplying top and bottom by 10001000 clears the decimals, and dividing by the common factor 55 gives the reduced exact fraction.

  5. Convert to a decimal.

    x=0.16717740.1672x=0.1671774\ldots\approx0.1672

    This matches the estimate of about 0.170.17 ✓.

  6. Verify by substitution. 32.63×0.16717744+4.545=5.455000+4.545=10.00000032.63\times0.16717744+4.545=5.455000+4.545=10.000000 ✓.

Answer

x=5.45532.63=109165260.1672x=\frac{5.455}{32.63}=\frac{1091}{6526}\approx 0.1672

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