how did I solve the following problem:?(3.8)=9(4)-9(?)

Question

the question marks are the blanks I need to fill in with a number

Answer 1

I read the problem as _____*(3.8) = 9*(4) - 9*(_____)

 

Essentially you want the right side to look like the left side. Hence a number *(number).

 

The first step is to use the distributive property.

 

Since you have a 9 in both terms, you can factor the 9 out, so it looks like 9*(4 - ____)

 

You then have ____ * (3.8) = 9*(4 - ____)

 

Does this help you fill in the blanks, or do you need the next steps?

Answer 2

3.8x+9x=9*4=36

12.8x=36

x=36/3.8=9.4736842105263157894736842105263